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REUNION 



OF THE 



Descendants of William Smith 



HELD IN 



PETERBOROUGH, N. H., 



August 10th, 1904 




SMITH FAMILY CREST 



CLINTON : 

Press of William H. Benson 

1906 



1^ 



CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Researches in Ireland 5 

Programme of Reunion 16 

The Reunion 17 

Historical Address 20 

Military History 57 

Robert Smith and His Descendants 79 

John Smith and His Descendants 92 

James Smith and His Descendants 103 

Jeremiah Smith and His Descendants 112 

Hannah (Smith) Barker and Her Descend- 
ants 119 

Jonathan Smith and His Descendants .... 128 

Samuel Smith and His Descendants 150 

Family and Guests Present at Reunion... 174 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE 

Family Home, in Peterborough, N. H. 

Frontispiece 

Birthplace of Robert Smith 11 

Out-Buildings on Robert Smith Place.... i^ 

Site of Robert Smith's Tannery 81 

Site of First Presbyterian Church, in 

moneymore 106 

General View of Moneymore 130 

Main Street in Moneymore 157 



PREFACE. 



In the preparation of the papers upon the sons 
and daughters, and their descendants, of William 
Smith, the writers were limited to ten minutes each. 
When it was decided to publish the proceedings, it 
was thought advisable to have some of the addresses 
edited by inserting many interesting facts and circum- 
stances of family history, which it were worth while 
to preserve, and of which there was no opportunity 
to speak under the original limitations necessarily 
imposed. As here printed, they contain a fairly com- 
plete family history down to 1904. It was not designed 
originally nor has it been attempted in the revision, to 
give a genealogy of the family, though much valuable 
genealogical data are found in the different papers. 
Altogether the contents of this volume are full of 
interest to those who trace their descent from William 
Smith and his wife, Elizabeth Morison. 




\ 



RESEARCHES IN IRELAND. 



It has long been the desire of many interested in 
family traditions to learn what light investigations in 
Moneymore, Ireland, and an examination of Church 
and other public records there would throw upon the 
history of the family prior to 1736. In the summer 
of 1905 such researches were made and herewith is 
given the result: 

The libraries of Belfast, the place first visited, 
yielded no information. The Linen Hall Library, 
an institution similar to the American Antiquarian 
Society, of Worcester, Mass., had no family gene- 
alogies. It contained histories of the Presbyterian 
Church in Ireland, and of the General Assembly, but 
the name of Smith or Morison, of Moneymore, or 
Londonderry, was not found, nor did any volume 
give an account of the settlement of Ulster by the 
Scotch in the 17th century. The records of the 
different Presbyterian Churches are not kept at the 
oflSce of the General Assembly. The offices of the 
Harbor Commissioner and of the Collector of Customs 



f» RKSKARCHES IN IKKI AM), 

seiKi lijcir records, containing passciijjcr lists of people 
leaving Ireland, every seven years to London, where 
they are destroyed. No such records were kept as 
early as 1736, and if any were made, they have long 
since disappeared. The effort to obtain a description 
of the vessel in which Robert sailed, and the names 
of his fellow passen;jers, thus failed totally. 

Money more was next visited. The town is 
thirty -two miles from lielfast. and with fifty -six 
other towns was granted to the Drapers Hall Com- 
pany of London, in 1606, by King James L In 
Pynner's Sur\-ey of the Drapers Hall Company .s 
Land (found in the Probate Office at Dublin), dated 
1619, there is this description of the town: 

^^ "Moneymore — 3210 acres. This proportion is 

not set to any man. but is held by the Agent. Mr. 
'[ Russell. Upon this there is a strong bawn (a walled 

enclosurf) of stone and lyme lUO feet square 15 feet 
"high, with two maps, there is a castle within the 

Bawn. of the same wideness being battlemented and 
''which hath aUo two flankers nearly nnishetl. Right 
^1 before the castle are built IJ houses, six of lime and 
II stone very gocxl. and six of timber inhal)ited by 

I\nglish families, and this is the best work I have 
■'seen for building; a water mill and mault house 

also a (|uarter of a mile from the town there is a 

"conduit head which bringeth water to all Places in 

"the liawn cS: town in ])ipes. Ihit the.se tenants 

I have not any estates foi the Agent can make none 

neither will they (have estates) till such time as 
'|their land can be improveil to the utmost. Within 
' this castle there is a good store of arms." 



RKSEARCHES IN IRELAND. 7 

The town has now a population of about five 
hundred, but that number is slowly declining. It 
has a weekly grain market held on Fridays, and a 
fair held on the 21st day of each month. There is a 
small hotel, also a co-operative creamery, but no 
manufacturing of any kind; and with the exception 
of three or four small stores and as many saloons, the 
occupation of the people is agriculture. It contains 
one Catholic, one Episcopal and two Presbyterian 
Churches. 

The stronger of these Presbyterian societies is 
also the oldest, and is the one to which Robert and 
Elizabeth Smith belonged. Its present building is 
quite large, its walls bare of all adornment, and was 
built on its present site by the Drapers Hall Company 
in 1825. The earliest record of a Presbyterian Church 
in Moneymore is 1684, and its pastor from 1697 to 
1734 was Rev. Henry Crookes. It now has no 
organ, and the music of the serxace is entirely vocal, 
rendered by the young people who occupy the pews 
front of the pulpit. In faith it is Conservative Pres- 
byterian, and the ser^'ice is much the same as was 
that of the Presbyterian Church in Peterborough prior 
to 1790. The oldest church building of the Society 
in Moneymore stood on a site some distance away, 
now occupied by a Catholic School. It was in the 
edifice on this spot that Robert Smith and his wife 
probably worshipped, and in the yard about it their 



8 RESEAKCHKS IN IRKI.AND. 

••^.^-^i.-i. ucic buric-d. All traces of the house and 
cemetery disappeared long ago. When the workmen 
were excavating for the foundations of the present 
school building they came upon many human remains 
which establishes the fact that there was once a ceme- 
tery there. This First Presbyterian Parish has no 
records of births, marriages or deaths prior to 1825. 
and no such records were found in Moneymore. 

Three families bearing the name of Smith are still 
l>v.ng i„ Moneymore. There is one, also, bv the 
name of Sianton, which through the female line trace 
Its descent from the same name. Thev spell their 
surname Smylh, but on some of the stones in the 
cemeteries it was written as the family spell it here - 
Stnif/i. 

One of these Smith families consists of two men. 
William Smith, aged seventy years and never married', 
and a brother. James Smith, aged eighty, a helpless 
paralytic. The latter has three sons in Worcester. 
Mass.. named respectively James. John ;nul Robert! 
The father of the two occupants was James, and the 
grandfather. John Smith. They I.ve on a small farm 
of f.)urteen acres, at a rental of £(y per annum. The 
house is a small stone cottage with thatched roof and 
having three rooms. The furnitur and surroundings 
indicate straightened and humble circumstances. 

Another Smith family lives on the "Desertmartin" 
road, about three miles from lla- village of Money- 



RESEARCHES IN IRELAND. 9 

more. This family consists of John Smith, aged 
about seventy years, never married, and the widow 
and children of a deceased brother. John had two 
brothers, William and Robert, both dead. Their 
father was James Smith, and their grandfather, Wil- 
liam Smith. James died about thirty years ago, aged 
ninetj'- three years. The house is of stone, two 
stories, with many outbuildings also of stone, and 
they have a farm of about thirty-seven acres. 

A third Smith family living about three miles from 
the village, in the opposite direction, consists of John 
Smith, aged about thirty-five years, unmarried, and 
his two unmarried sisters — Mary J. and Margaret, 
Their farm consists of twenty -one acres under a 
high state of cultivation. This family is an offshoot 
of the one on the " Desertmartin " road. The 
other family — Stanton — which traces its descent 
from the Smiths, is that of Mrs. Matilda J. Stan- 
ton, a widow, and her children. She is a daughter 
of Thomas Smith and also a granddaughter of 
Thomas. She owns about two hundred acres of 
land, situate three miles south of the village toward 
Cookstown, and divided into two farms about a mile 
apart, one of them being on the main road two miles 
from Moneymore. From all the evidence obtainable, 
there is strong reason to believe that the latter farm 
was the birthplace and home of Robert Smith. The 
house consists of two parts, one very old, of stone, 



10 RKSKARCHES IN IREI.ANn. 

a thatched roof and one siory in heiglit ; the other 
and newer j)art, two stories and built of brick. There 
are many outbuildings, some of them apparently of 
great age. Kverythinp about the place save the two- 
story addition to the dwelling, indicates great 
antiquity. The house stands about fifty rods from the 
main roa<l, on quite an elevation of ground. Fifteen 
or twenty rods distant, on the north side of a private 
way leading from the main road to the buildings, and 
abutting on the main road, is the site of an old 
tanner>', though every vestige of the industry has 
now disappeared. The son of Mrs. Stanton, a young 
man of twenty -five or thirty years, conducted the 
writer to the spot, and told him that he him.self had 
filled up the last of the «.ld tanning vats, and remem- 
bered the remains of many others within the same lot. 
The site does not now belong to the Stanton estate, 
having been recently sold off, but the place, together 
with the farm, came to his mother through her father. 
Thomas Smith, and had been owned by the Smith 
family from time immemorial, much longer than the 
period of the grandfather, Thomas Smith. From Hr- 
testimony of Mrs. Stanton and her children, and from 
the statements of many of the oldest and most intel- 
ligent people of Moneymore, and very many were 
inter\'iewed as to the fact, this was the unly tannery 
ever existing in Moneymore. 




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RESEARCHES IN IRELAND. 11 

The part of Money more in which this farm is situ- 
ated is called' ' Dunnibraggy . ' ' In the office of the Pro - 
bate Records of Dublin was found the original will of 
James Smith, of Dunnibraggy, Moneymore, dated 
1777, in which the testator gives to his brother, John 
Smith, the right and property of his houses and lands, 
also, all the debts and rents he owes him, and charges 
the legatee "with the care and support of my aged 
father." The testator also gives small legacies to his 
sisters, Margaret, Elizabeth and Sarah. It is evident 
that the instrument is the will of the probable pro- 
prietor of this place and that he was an ancestor of 
Thomas Smith, the grandfather of Mrs. Stanton. The 
only circumstances opposed to that contention is that 
Mrs. Stanton and her family belong to the English 
Church, while all the Smith families named are of the 
Presbyterian faith. The writer is convinced that this 
estate at Dunnibraggy is the place where Robert 
Smith lived and was probably born, and the tannery 
was the one carried on by him. 

None of the families have any traditional or record 
knowledge of their ancestors back of the grandparents 
of the eldest now living. They have no genealogies, 
no information of the names of the forbears and their 
children, or their occupations. Beyond the grand- 
father their family history is a blank absolutely. 
Socially they have little intercourse with each other, 
but all say the families are related though the con- 



IJ RESEARCHES IN IRELAND. 

nection dates back many generations. They do have 
a tradition that lonj; ajjo some of the family went to 
America, but of their names an*l the date of their 
mijjration they know nothinj^ even from hearsay. 

That they are all descendants of the same family 
with Robert Smith, one striking bit of evidence was 
found, cubing into the cemeteries of Money more, 
parting the tall grass and scraping the dirt and moss 
from the headstones which lay flat on the graves, one 
can still read the names of Robert Smith. James 
Smith, William Smith, John Smith, Marj- Smith. 
Elizabeth Smith, Sarah Smith and .Margaret Smith 
— names which have been preserved in every genera- 
tion of the descendants of Robert Smith down to the 
present day. Among those still living in Moneymore 
not one was found who did not bear some out- of those 
familiar family names. 

Comparatively few of the graves in the cemeteries 
at Moneymore and I.^ndonderry have headstones, and 
the inscriptions of an older date than 1790 could not 
be deciphered. In that cool, moist climate, the action 
of the frost and wat3r speedily obliterates the lettering 
originally caivcd on the stones. 

Though close investigation was nrule, nothing 
could be learned either from histories, records, 
or oral tradition, when the faniily migrated to 
Ireland, n«jr from what part of Scotland it came. 
Moneymore was, however, settled very early, 



RESEARCHES IN IRELAND. 13 

and there is record evidence that the family 
was there in 1631, and probabh' earlier. In 
the office of the Diapers Hall Company in London 
was found the assignment of a lease of land in Monej^- 
more by Henry Mynn to James Smith. The lease is 
written on parchment and only the signatures and 
names of parties, with the town, are legible. It is 
dated December 20, 1631. There was also found a 
letter from James Smith of Moneymore, administrator 
of Peter Banker, to the Drapers Company asking for 
a license to assign his lease or interest in the Com- 
pany's property to Sir Jo. Clotworthy,' and a letter 
of the latter to the same purpose, dated in 1632. 
Also the assignment of a lease by James Smith of 
Moneymore to Sir Jo. Clothworthy, dated 1633, of 
land in that town. This was written on paper. The 
writing was very distinct, but the precise locality of 
the land in Mone3^more could not be identified. The 
Records of the Drapers Hall Company showed no 
other conve5'ance of land to or b}' any Smith of 
Moneymore. This may be explained b}^ the fact that 
verj^ early, the year was not ascertained, the Com- 
pany leased all its lands in Moneymore to Sir John 
Rowley, in whose family the title remained until 1816, 
when it was reconveyed to the Drapers Company. 



1 He was probably the same Sir John Clotworthy who was a member of 
the Long Parliament, and was appointed one of the Committee to draft 
the articles of impeachment against the Earl of Strafford. See Sanjords 
Studies and Reminiscences of the Great Rebellion, pase 311; and who owned 
estates in Ireland, same, pase 410. 



14 RKSHAkCHFS IN IKHI.AN'U. 

The James Smilh above named coultl not have been 
of the lamily of Robert Smith's wife. Frttm the 
family records, see (ieneah)j;y of William Smitli, 
1852. page 1, which states that her father was J nnes 
Smith of England, who was the son of James Smith 
of Scotland. They could not, therefore, have been 
in Ireland in 1631-33. This James Smith must 
therefore have been an ancestor of Robert vSmith. 

The Stanton branch of the family has produced 
many men of marked al)ility, who have rendered 
efficient public service, as officers in the army and 
navy, and in civil life; among them have been a 
number of graduates of Queens and Trinity Colleges. 
The writer recalls with pleasure his most hospitable 
reception by one of them, Rev. James H. Smith, of 
Pomcroy in county Tyrone, a graduate of Trinity, and 
who for thirty years was a Chaplain and Professor of 
Mathematics in the Royal Navy. It was through his 
kindly courtesy that the cast of the Smith Family 
Crest, see the title page, was obtained. The delightful 
interview with Mrs. Stanton and her accomplished 
daughter at the latter's home in Belfast, also, left 
many pleasant memories. The writer was cordially 
welcomed by all the representatives of the family in 
Moneymore, who gladly furnished him with whatever 
information they had and made many earnest inquiries 
as to the welfare of the lamily on tliis side of the 
ocean. 



RESEARCHES IN IRELAND. 15 

An effort was made to get further knowledge of 
the families of Elizabeth Morison and Margaret Wal- 
lace by researches in and about Londonderry, but 
without result. The same conditions as to family 
genealogies and church records exist there as in 
Moneymore. The oldest Presbyterian Church in 
Londonderry had no records of births, marriages and 
deaths earlier than 1825. In the Cathedral (Epis- 
copal) Church were records dating prior to 1679 
and subsequent to 1704. These were examined but 
furnished no definite information. In the Apprentice 
Hall is a tablet to the Apprentice boys, who in 1688, 
of their own motion, closed the city gates in the face 
of the advancing columns of King James' Army, and 
the name of Robert Morison heads the list. From 
the City Records it appears that one James Morison 
was a member of the City Council m 1681, and that 
one William Morrison was sworn in as Sheriff before 
the City Councils in 1689, and was given the freedom 
of the city. The identity of these men with the 
family of Elizabeth Morison could not be determined. 
It would seem from the different spelling of the 
surnames that they were of distinct families. Of 
Margaret Wallace, or her family, not a trace was 
found. 

On the whole, the search, while less successful 
than had been hoped for, was not without interesting 
discoveries. The facts ascertained, and the writer's 



16 RKSKARCHKS IN IRKI.AM). 

conclusions from all he saw and heard, arc herewitli 
given ill full, and tlu- interested family reader may 
draw his (nvii inferences whether they are justified by 
the evidence produced. 

Jonathan Smith. 



Robert Smith 



OF MONEYMORE, IRELAND 
EMIGRATED TO AMERICA IN 



1736 



WITH HIS SON,. ^/LL/^M 




Ye Blanchard Presi, Worcester 



WILLIAM SMITH 

Ireland I q 2^^ Petc?-borough^ N, H,, lSo8 




HE reunion of the descendants of 
William Smith will be held at the 
old home, Elm Hill, Peterborough, 
New Hampshire, on August loth, 
1904. 

You are cordially invited with all members 
of your family. 

Conveyances will leave Tucker's Tavern in 
Peterborough for Elm Hill about nine o'clock 
on the morning of August 10th, returning at 
such hours as will meet the convenience of the 
guests. 

Dinner will be served in the old barn at Elm 
Hill bv the hostesses, Mrs. Perkins Bass and 
Mrs. (jeorge E. Adams. 

You are invited to bring with vou pictures 
or relics of living or deceased members of your 
branch of the Smith fiimily ; also ancient letters 
or documents which would be ot general family 
interest. All such will be faithtullv cared for 
and returned to the contributors at the close of 
the meeting. 

After the dinner addresses, prepared for the 
occasion, will be read. 



ADDRESSES 



Historical Address 

By JONATHAN SMITH, Esq. 
of Clinton, Mass. 

The Smith Family in the Military Service 

By Capt. JOHN STEARNS SMITH 
of St. Paul, Minn. 



V 



Robert Smith and His Descendants 

By J. GORDON R. WRIGHT, Esq. 

of Cincinnati, Ohio 

'John Smith and His Descendants 

By JOHN H. CAVENDER, Esq. 
of St. Louis, Mo. 

^ , James Smith and His Descendants 

By MARCUS SMITH THOMAS, Esq^. 
of Decatur, Mich. 

Hannah Smith Barker and Her Descendants 

By ANDREW JEWETT, Esq. 

of Fitchburg, Mass. 

'Jonathan Smith and His Descendants 

By Mrs. PERKINS BASS 
of Peterborough, N. H. 

Samuel Smith and His Descendants 

By ABBOTT EDES SM1;TH, Esq^. 
of Minneapolis, Minn. 



THE REUNION. 



The reunion was held, as stated in the circular, at 
the old family home, in Peterborough, New Hamp- 
shire, which had been founded by William Smith in 
1751, and where his father, Robert Smith, lived during 
his last years, and where he died. A cold rain storm 
prevailed throughout the day, but it did not chill the 
spirits of the assembled relatives nor cast any shadow 
over the enjoyments of the gathering. Represen- 
tatives of the family were present from St. Paul, 
Chicago, New York, Connecticut, Vermont and Mas- 
sachusetts. Most of them arrived the previous evening 
and were comfortably lodged at the hospitable tavern 
of George Samuel Tucker in the village, and were 
conveyed to Elm Hill in the morning, in barges and 
carriages, arriving at the house about 9.30 o'clock. 
All were greeted with a cordial welcome by the host 
and hostesses — Mr. and Mrs. George E. Adams and 
Mrs. Perkins Bass. Cheerful fires blazed on the 
hearth of every room, and though the storm kept 
everyone within doors, it interfered in no waj' with 
the pleasure of the meeting. 



18 THK REUNION. 

Some were present who had never before visited the 
place, nor met many of the cousins whom they found 
assembled. Hut no introductions were necessary and 
the Reception Connnittee found little to do in the 
way of making the guests acquainted with each other. 
On a large tabU* in the South Room were placed old 
family pictures which guests had brought with them ; 
also there were ancient documents relating to events 
in the family history, old letters, family heir-looms, 
samples of the skill and industry of the fathers and 
mothers of two generations gone, and many other 
interesting and valuable memorials which attracted 
great interest. The forenoon passed in conversation, 
tracing family pedigrees and relationships, and in 
exchanging reminiscences of scenes and incidents of 
the past. 

At one o'clock adjournment was made to the large 
barn, which had been fitted up and decorated for the 
banquet. The entire floor space had been cleared ; 
the walls adorned witli the tools and implements of 
husbandry and housekeeping of a hundred years ago 
— spinning wheels, reeds, looms, churns, cheese 
presses, winnowing mills, plows, hoes, spades and 
•other articles of ancient farm and household use. 
Huge old fashioned brass kettles stood about filkd 
with golden rod, and the tables were adorned with 
great bouquets of wild and cut flower.^ from the farm 
and garden. Suspended from the beams and ]iosts of 



THE REUNION. 19 

the barn were bunches of corn and other cereals 
grown on the place. The banquet was most generous 
and prepared with the highest skill of the culinary 
art by the hostesses of the day, and was thoroughly 
enjoyed by all. 

After the dinner the addresses, here following, 
were given. They had been arranged and prepared 
with a view of giving a complete history of the family, 
except genealogically, from the time of its arrival in 
this country in 1736 down to the date of the reunion. 
How nearly the plan was actually carried out a perusal 
of the papers will show. 

lyong as the program was, the addresses held the 
close attention of all until the end which was not till 
past six o'clock. After an enthusiastic vote of thanks 
to the hosts for their munificent hospitality, the guests 
returned to the hotel, where breaking up into groups 
they continued the reunion until the hotel lights were 
turned off for the night. 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 
Hy Jonathan Smith. 



In Oil! Motialily, Sir Walter vScott has sketched 
the life of one Robert Paterson, who for forty years 
travelled among the hills and valleys of vScotlaiid. 
visiting the places where the Covenanters, fallen in 
the civil and religions wars of the previous century', 
lay buried. The great novelist tells us that Paierson. 
going to the cemeteries, would reset the fallen tablets, 
brush away the moss and lichen from the grave- 
stones, recut the letters and brighteji the inscrijitions 
and memorials car\'ed on the monuinents, which 
recorded the names and told in Scrij)tnral language 
the blessings and rewards which had come to those 
who slept beneath. 

It is a .service not unlike that rendered b\- Rolitil 
Paterson to his fallen countrymen, which calls u^ here 
to-day. We arc met at a place- mack' dear !>> tlit 
memories of our forbears. Like (Vd Mortality, wc 
revisit the scenes of their labors, brush away iIk- 
dust and moss which have partially obscured their 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 21 

lives and deeds, and chisel deeper into our hearts 
the record of virtue and high example they left us. 
Ancestor worship, we do not, indeed, celebrate with 
mystic rites and incantations. But in waj^s more 
refined, and by methods of which the savage never 
knew, we gather to pay reverence to the memories, 
recount the service and acknowledge our debt to those 
from whose loins we sprung. Let us invoke the 
presence of those choice spirits who on this very 
spot, more than one hundred and fifty years ago, 
founded for themselves a home and for us a shrine at 
which we can pay the full measure of filial devotion./" 

William Smith and Elizabeth Morison, to whom 
we trace our lineage, were of Scotch -Irish stock. 
By Scotch -Irish is meant simply those people, who, 
in the Seventeenth Century, emigrated from Scotland 
to Ireland, and in the Eighteenth Century, removed 
from Ireland to this country. While in Ireland they 
did not intermarry with the native Irish, and so thej- 
preserved their racial identity. At the time of their 
arrival in America they were as purely Scotch in traits 
and blood as the emigrants directly from Edinburgh. 
The term is peculiar to the race in this country — it is 
unknown among the people of Ulster. 

In William Smith there may have been a slight • 
strain of English blood. His mother, Elizabeth 
Smith, was the daughter of James Smith of England, 
and he was the son of James Smith of Scotland. But 



KI>iTOKICAI. ADDRKSS. 

Klizabetli Smitli may liave been as pure Scotch as her 
husband, for anything we know certainly. The only 
evidence of possible KukHsIi lineay:e is that ht-r chil- 
dren used the I''n»;lish and not the Scotch diak-ct. and 
were the only ones of the early settlers of the town 
who did. Whatever the fact may be, William Smith 
was thorouijhly Scotch in character and temper. His 
wife, however, was of the pure blood, s]ioke the 
Scotch dialect down to the end of her days, antl 
declined, against the remonstrances of her children, 
to use any other. 

The basis of this stock was Celtic. Between the 
Sixth and Twelfth Centuries it had become mingled 
with strains from the Saxon, Dane and Scandinavian, 
which modified in some degree the original Celtic 
character. This mingling of blood combined with 
the influences of soil and climate which prevail 
between the Tweed and the Grampian Hills, and the 
almost continual civil and religious wars, had evolved 
a peculiar people, which for the work of settling a 
new country and laying broad and deep the foun- 
dations of a great Democratic Republic has had no 
equal in the history of mankind. 

//- The short seasons of Scotland, the sterile soil, 
and the cool, moist climate, in the course of time 
impressed certain traits upon its i)eople. Life was a 
constant wrestle with poverty; hal)its of the most 
rigid economy and j)ersevering industry were neces- 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 23 

sary for a bare material existence, which traits became 

a part of the warp and woof of the race. It made the 

Scotchman self-reliant, independent in thought and 

action, and fearless of danger. He was also stern in 

demeanor, reserved in speech, quick in temper, and 

clung to his opinions with a tenacitj^ as firm as the 

hills of his native land. It has been said of him that 

"he was the most orderly, the most persistent of men ; 

slow to feel, but susceptible of the deepest feeling; 

capable of enthusiasm but not easily aroused ; as brave 

as the bravest ; not slow to take offence but moody in 

his wrath ; and strenuous for liberty and law against 

mobs and monarchs, lords and levellers." He had 

traits, too, not so lovely to contemplate, for he was 

harsh in temper, often cruel, quick to resent an injury 

and slow to forgive one. To his convictions and his 

ideals he was loyal even to the sacrifice of property 

and life. In political opinion the people were from 

their earliest history different from many others. Of 

all the inhabitants of Europe they were the most 

democratic in political thought and action, and herein 

lies the key to their National history both in fields of 

government and religion. Down to its union with 

Great Britain, no nation on that side of the Atlantic 

ever had so many and cruel Rebellions. The King's 

person was never sacred in Scotchmen's eyes. Of 

the Stuart line alone they murdered two kings, 

deposed two, drove their queen from the country, and 



24 HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 

(..mini Jaiiio \ 1. aluiiii the country as a prisoner. 
They were first to raise the standard of revolt aj^ainst 
Charles I., and afterwards j^ettinjj possession of his 
person, sold him and his cause to his Kn^lish enc-mies 
for a price. 

I?nt loyalty to their clan and its chief was as 
strong as their allegiance to their King was weak. 
This was a distinguishing trait of the Celtic race, not 
only in Scotland but in Ireland and in ancient (laul. 
The King they seldom saw, but the chief of the clan 
was personally known to all his tribe. They followed 
his standard in war through \ictory and defeat. He 
visited them in their homes, shared their hum])le fare, 
slept upon their beds of rush, espoused their quarrels 
with tlie neighboring clan ;uid avenged their wrongs. 
The loyalty of the Scot to his chief distinguished the 
Highlander and Lowlander alike. While a Celtic 
trait, at the bottom lay that fearless democratic spirit 
so marked a fe ture of the Scottish character. 

In the Sixtt't-nth Century another intluence came 
in which, while it did not modify the Scot as to his 
leading traits, ditl give him a new object of interest, 
and to his thoughts a new direction. Tliat was Cal- 
vinism. This faith he accepted more completely than 
any other people ami imshed its doctrines further to 
their logical conclusion. It was a creed which har- 
monized with the Scotch character of that age and the 
natural forces which had made it what it was. It is 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 25 

fashionable to think we have outgrown and left it far 
behind. But in the past it has been a mighty force in 
the affairs of men. Out of its iron creed and theories 
of Church government have come those great ideas of 
civil and religious liberty which have now become 
incorporated into the constitutions of the most 
civilized nations of the earth. In the past, no people 
having once accepted it have ever bowed the knee to 
royal or priestly power, either in Church or State. 
Its Church government was Democratic to the core. 
The people chose their own ministers; the laity 
were represented in the General Assembly and had 
large influence in dictating its policy. It claimed 
supremacy over the civil power in all Church affairs, 
and did not hesitate to defy the arbitrary will of 
the Stuart kings when they sought to override its 
decrees. Thus it gave added force and direction to 
the Scotchman's democratic principles. It strength- 
ened that spirit of individualism, or rather that quality 
of self-reliance and personal responsibility which had 
always been peculiarly his own. Calvinism was a 
faith that exalted man because it honored God. It 
taught its believer that he was made by an Infinite 
Power which would finally judge him. From its 
gloomy eschatology he reasoned that the fiery pit 
was not created for a mere worm of the dust but 
for a creature of vast powers and possibilities for 
good and evil. The scheme of redemption was 



26 HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 

tlevised for hitn. He faced iIk- responsibility of 
accepting or rejecting it, ami asked no sympathy 
or aid of any one. "W'liat can we do for yon," 
asked the- symj^athizing friends standing about 
the bed of a dying Scotch- Irishman in the Smith - 
west. "Let me alone," was the feeble rejjly. 
He had fought the battle of life according to his 
own reason and conscience and was not afraid to 
face the final ordeal alone. 

Rut aside from adding fresh vigor to his democracy 
and exalting his individualism and self-reliance. 
Calvinism influenced the Scot in other ways. It 
stimulated his mind, and aroused his interest in 
education, which, from the daj's of John Knox to the 
present, has been a prominent feature of his character. 
The creed enjoined upon its believer to study the 
Scriptures. "All sorts of people," nins the catechism, 
"are bound to read it apart by themselves and with 
their families, with diligence and attention to the 
matter and scope of them, with meditation, application 
ami prayer." The Scotchman's earnest, practical 
temper construed this injunction literally, and no 
article of his faith was more devoutly obeyed. lU 
was to seek the meaning of the text in the Bible itself. 
The minister could, indeed, be consulted for light, 
but in the last analysis his own reason and conscience 
were to be the final interjjreters. The abstruse, 
metaj)hysical character of the confession ami its iron 



HISTORICAL ADDRKSvS. 27 

logic ; the constant study of the Bible and Catechism ; 
the continual effort to think out their meaning and 
how their texts and statements applied to the problems 
of daily living, were in the highest degree stimulating 
to the mind, and strengthened and developed the 
reasoning powers. It excited a desire for education 
that they might better understand and apply the solu- 
tion of its intricate questions to the issues confronting 
them. In Scotland it made them a nation of mental 
philosophers and metaphysicians ; in this country 
they became the pioneers of education, "for," says 
Green, "they seem to have furnished the principal 
school masters of all the provinces south of New 
York prior to the Revolution, and it is noteworthy 
that a large portion of the leaders in that great move- 
ment in the lower Middle and Southern States received 
their education under men of this race." 

Just how far the Scotchman, as here briefly out- 
lined, w'as modified by his sojourn in Ireland, it is 
not easy to define. That he w^as changed by his 
residence in Ulster, to some extent, is probably true. 
In his native land he had little, if any, sense of humor, 
and the diflBculty of making a Scotchman see the point 
of a joke passed into proverb long ago. The Scotch - 
Irishman was known here for his keen sense of humor 
and love of fun. Thej' had, however, none of the 
impulsive droller}' of the Irish nor the delicacy of the 
French wit, but were a resultant from grafting the 



28 IIISTOKICAI. AUDKKSS. 

rollicking fun of the former and the reBnement of the 
latter upon the stern, matter-of-fact, practical Scotch 
nature. It was a wit intensely personal in its char- 
acter, and the Scotch -Irishman using it spared neitlier 
friend nor foe, old nor young, nor idiosyncracies of 
manner or temper. It developed a fondness for 
ridicule more dreaded by its victim than its user's 
wrath. Practical joking was another favorite form of 
it, and a chance to raise a laugh at another's expense 
was seldom left unemployed./ The elder John Smith 
often gave illustrations of the trait. He went one 
day into a neighbor's blacksmith shop, still standing 
about 100 rods down the road. While there, a 
stranger came in to get his horse shod. The 
proprietor, a worthy, industrious citizen, had the 
infirmity of a fiery temper, which .Mr. Smith delighted 
to stir up. At the stranger's appearance, divining 
his errand, he got into conversation with him and 
infjuired his errand. On being told it was to have 
his horse shod, Mr. Smith answered in a loud voice: 
"O, they don't know anything about shoeing here. 
Everyone who gets his horse shod lure has to stop at 
the first place he comes to and have the shoes taken 
right (jff and set over again." Tlu- blacksmith's 
wrath overflowed. " You're an old fool," he angrily 
retorted. And then Mr. Smith laughed in his face. 

They were as keen in retort as in attack. Mr. 
Smith's daughter I\li/.abeth, who marrietl her cousin. 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 29 

Samuel Morison, and lived in the large house about 
half a mile to the west of us, now belonging to the 
estate of the late George S. Morison, is described as 
having been exceedingly plain in her old age, and 
during her last 3'ears was an invalid. Her brothers 
Jeremiah and Jonathan one day went to visit her. 
One had been Chief Justice of the State; the other, 
a staid and dignified deacon in the Church for many 
years, and both were white-headed. Yet they spent 
the whole afternoon joking and poking fun at their 
bedridden sister. The Judge, spying her nightcap 
put it on, and going to the looking glass, exclaimed, 
"Why, Betty, I thought it was you I saw in the 
glass." "Yes," she quickly retorted, "they always 
told me I looked like you, and it mortified me almost 
to death." 

Their social customs and their religious forms and 
ceremonies were little modified by their residence in 
Ireland. In Ulster the Scotchman and Catholic 
Irishman had nothing in common, and were bitter 
enemies, differing from each other in every trait, 
principle and element which keep two peoples apart. 
The custom of discharging musketry near the houses 
of the groom and bride on the morning of their 
wedding day, was carried to Ulster from Scotland, 
though Mr. Parker, in his history of Londonderry, 
erroneously implied the contrary. Dr. Charles 
Kogers, of Edinburgh, in his ''Social Life i7i Scot- 



/<tfiJ," has given a lull account oi the funeral wake 
as it was held in his country ilow n to the beginning 
of the last Century. His description of its observ- 
ance in Scotland does not ilitfc-r niatcriall>' from 
the way it was conducted by the native Irish, 
nor from the manner it was observed by the 
early settlers of this town. In Scotland there was 
dancing in presence of the body. II the deceased 
were a husband, the widow led the first figure, and if 
a wife, the husband led it. When the vigils were 
protracted there were games, including card playing. 
Liquors were freely used, and while silence was 
enjoined at the beginning there was feasting and 
revelry before it closed. Ouce at least the wake was 
held in this house. The occasion wa^ the tuneral of 
Margaret Morison, the mother of Elizabeth, wife of 
William .Smith, who died here April 18, 1769. From 
Dr. Morison s allusion, it was probably held with the 
usual observances, but it is to be doubted if there was 
any dancing or card playing. At any rate, many 
weird and ghostly stories were told, and the ceremony 
left an impression u]u>u the tliiUlren which was iie\er 
forgotten. 

There were other modifications also, but none 
which touched the foundations of the Scot's char- 
acter. In Scotlant) he was reserved, taciturn, blunt 
in speech, and expressed himself in few words. Here 
he was disputatious, fond of talk, social in disposition. 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 31 

and gave free play to his wit and humor. The genial 
climate of Ireland, its fertile soil and the abundant 
returns of labor, none of which he had enjoj^ed in 
Scotland, thawed the hard, harsh crust of the Scotch 
character, and gave a kindliness to his personality 
unknown to him in the land of his origin. At 
bottom, however, he was Scotch still, plain and 
frugal, rough in manner, industrious, tenacious of 
his views, and intensely loyal in politics and religion 
to the opinions of his race. In the free air of America 
these qualities had a full field for expression and led 
him to take a foremost part in the war for indepen- 
dence, and in establishing the principles for which he 
had fought in the old country and emigrated to the 
new, into the law and constitution of his new home. 

In brief outline, such was the race to which 
William and Elizabeth Smith belonged. If much 
space has been given to this phase of their history, it 
is because we cannot understand either them or the 
guiding^rinciples of their lives without keeping the 
racial traits in view. It is just as necessary for 
a knowledge of their descendants and a correct 
acquaintance with ourselves. 

All that has come to light of William Smith and 
his wife, their ancestr3^ their founding of this home 
and their life here has been printed in genealogies, in 
family histories, and in biographies of their most 
distinguished children. What follows is little more 



32 HISTORICAI. ADDRESS. 

than an abstract of what has already appeared in 
print, but on this occasion it may lie ]>rofitably 
reviewed. 

The Smith family is, and always has been, 
proverbially large. In Scotland, by tlie census of 
1860, it was the "name above every name" by more 
than 7000. It is found in all stratas of Scottish 
society from the lowest to the highest. In the 
"Heraldry of Smith in Scotland," published bj' John 
Russell Smith, in 1873, is given a list of the name 
who were members of the nobility, authors, soldiers, 
or statesmen from the Fifteenth Century down to the 
last. It would gratify family pride could we tiace 
our ancestry to some one of these of gentle blood , 
but candor compels the statement that there is no 
such tradition. All the evidence, though it is very 
little, points to the fact that both in Scotland and 
Ireland our ancestors belonged to the industrial 
middle classes. 

Aristotle said long ago that it was to this section 
of the community that the chief power in government 
may be most wisely and profitably given. Ami 
IvCcky, echoing the same sentiment, declared that 
"it is not the class nu)St susceptible to new ideas or 
most prone to great enterprises : but it is distinguished 
beyond all others for its political indepenilence, its 
caution, its solid, practical intelligence, its sturily 
industry and its high moral courage." 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 33 

As to the date they went to Ireland from Scotland 
there is no information. Robert Smith was born in 
Moneymore in 1681, and his father was James Smith, 
also of Ireland, which might indicate that the family 
came to Ireland early, perhaps in the great immigra- 
tion of 1652,* if not in the earlier one of 1609 and 10. 
They were Lowland Scotch. The Lowlander has 
been described as of fair height, long legged, strongly 
built, his features regular, his cheeks prominent, a 
leanness of the face helping much to accentuate the 
features. Generally he was of sandy complexion, 
with blue or gray eyes and very muscular. All that 
we know of Robert Smith in Ulster is that he was a 
tanner by trade and that he brought with him to this 
country about $1500 in money. His children came 
with him arriving in the fall of 1736. After spending 
the winter in Lexington, he removed the following 
spring to Lunenburg, where he purchased a farm and 
followed the occupation of farmer until February, 
1753, when he sold his real estate. He was tax;ed in 
Lunenburg that year for /lOO in money, and from 
that time his name disappears from the town records. 
His wife, Elizabeth, was a member of the Church in 
Moneymore, but it does not appear whether she or 
her husband ever joined the Church in Lunenburg. 
The records of that Church for the whole period of 
their residence in that town are very full, but the 



But see Introduction, ante. 



34 HISTORICAI, ADDKHSS. 

name of eitlicr is not in Ihtin anywhere. She died 
in I.nnenburjj, it is said. Sept. 23, 1757. The place 
ot her death may be questioned, for if she and her 
husband were then residents of the town it wouhl 
certainly seem that his name would be on the public 
records as a voter or taxpayer after 1753, as it was 
from 1737 to that date. It is certain that after the 
wife's death, if not before, he came to live with his 
son William on this spot, and in a small way carried 
on his old trade of tanner. At the foot of this hill he 
sunk four tanning; vats, which were in use as long as 
the business was carried on there, which was for 
more than a century. lie died January 14, 1766, and 
was buried in the old cemetery on the hill where the 
stone which marks his grave can slill be seen. Ol 
the personality and character of Robert and Elizabeth 
Smith not a tradition survives. That they were 
thoroughly Scotch in habits and temper we may 
readily believe. 

William Smith was born in 1723, and was fourteen 
when his parents landed in Boston. In Moneymore 
Ik- went to school and obtained a good education for 
a boy of the social and material circumstances of his 
parents. His skill in penmanship won the prai.se of 
his teacher, and rightly, too, if we may judge from 
specimens still existing. He may have alttiided 
school in Lunenburg, but this is not certain. Like 
most young men of that day he did military duty. 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 35 

and served two enlistments, the first of seven days, 
in Lt. Abel Pratt's Company; and the second of six 
months, in the Company of Capt. Edward Hartwell. 
For the latter service he was paid ^13, 4s, 3d, show- 
ing that he was withdrawn entirely from civil duties. 
He was called through life "Lt." or "Capt." Smith, 
implying that he rendered other military duty, but 
what it was no military roll has been found to 
tell us. 

Several attempts had been made to settle the town 
prior to 1749, but the pioneers had been driven away 
through fear of the Indians. In 1748 the French or 
"King George's War," as it is called, was concluded 
by the treaty of Aix-Ia-Chapelle, and the savage 
peril was removed. The attention of the Scotch - 
Irish of Lunenburg at once turned to a renewal of the 
efforts to settle the town. Thomas Morison, who had 
been prominent in the former movements, took the 
lead, and joining him, among others, were William 
Smith, then aged twenty-six, and his brother John, 
eight years older. The three were brothers-in-law 
and each took up large tracts of land in the southwest 
part of the town, covering the territory where the 
village of South Peterboro now is. William Smith's 
lot included about 180 acres, and lay along the 
southern borders of those of his brother John and 
brother-in-law Thomas Morison. It was 521 by 52 
rods, and extended from a point about 100 rods west 



36 HISTORICAL ADDRKSS. 

ol the lot 111 ^i i.>.iL.i ..; ub to a point within 100 rods 
of the west line of the town. Whether he built on 
this lot is uncertain. He received the deed of it from 
the proprietors in December, 1753, and paid, so the 
instrument says, /^390 in old tenor bills. In 1750 or 
early in 1751, he decided to locate on this hill. These 
lots had been assigned to Peter Prescott by the 
proprietors, and so Prescott was the oriKinal owner. 
A man l)y the name of Bridge had chopped and made 
an opening here but never had any title. Whether 
Bridge had abandoned the place before William Smith 
came, or was persuaded by purchase or otherwise to 
vacate, we do not know. But here William Smith 
came in one of the years before named, began to clear 
the land, built his log house, and made ready for the 
coming of his bride, Elizabeth Morison, to whom he 
was married in Londonderry on December 31, 1751, 
"the coldest day he ever knew." He never got title 
to the lots until May 3, 1774. The consideration was 
twenty shillings. The deed says "that whereas Said 
Wm. Smith has been and is settled on Said Lots but 
lie has not performed all the conditions of SaJe Settle- 
ment; Now if the s'd Smith his Heirs or Assigns shall 
do Ih^n- part toward Building a Convenient Meeting 
House for the i)ublick worship of (lod and Maintain 
Constant preaching of the Word of (loil in said 
Peterljorough," then the deed was to abide. As his 
heirs we need borrow no anxiety a!)out the validity of 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 37 

the family title to the place. The "Convenient 
Meeting House for the publick worship of God" you 
have seen; and for ninety -eight successive years, 
William Smith, his son and grandson who succeeded 
to the estate, held the office of Elder or Deacon in it, 
and all their lives were its staunchest and most liberal 
supporters. 

Of that gifted and courageous woman whose 
coming made this place a home, we know much less 
than is desired. She was the daughter of Charter 
John Morison of Londonderry, and was born in that 
town June 15, 1723. Her mother was Margaret 
Wallace. There is a family tradition that Margaret 
was a descendant of Sir William Wallace, the most 
dangerous foe England ever encountered. The 
historian of the Morison family does not allude to 
this tradition, and whether it be true or not Elizabeth 
Morison 's rigid integrity and strength of character, 
her fearless courage, her energy and love of truth, 
under all of which was a tender and loving heart, 
made her worthy of such noble lineage. I doubt if 
any of her talented children excelled her in natural 
ability, and certanly none of them filled their places 
with greater fidelity and success than she filled hers. 
In temper and traits of character she was thorDughly 
Scotch, and her Calvinism was not so much a creed 
to be believed as it was a practical, living faith to be 
applied to the problems of daily duty. Her family 



38 lirSTORICAI. APDRKSS. 

discipline was ri>;id, as we iniKht supi>ose it would be 
in a Presbyterian mother with nine strong, active 
boys and girls to govern and train uji. Like the 
mother described by the wise man, she attended 
" diligently to the ways of her household," and her 
industry and energy would be phenomenal even in 
these times of strenuous living. She was a beautiful 
singer of the old Scotch songs, and Dr. Morison has 
told us how the children were always glad to leave 
tlieir rough sports and crowd around to hear her sin^ 
them. If many of the traditions of her which still 
survive show more of the sterner side of her nature, it 
should be remembered that in this primitive home, 
crowded with many cares, there was little time or 
opportunity' for the cultivation of the gentler side of 
her womanly nature. With all her seeming sternness, 
the just and kindly spirit underneath showed itself in 
her fondness for music and in her sincere and earnest 
piety, which was free from all cant or affectation. 
That she was a loving and devoted, if sometimes a 
severe, mother is evidenced by the deep affection of 
her children, which she retained to the end of ht-r 
days, and at Irt death they rose iij) with one accord 
and called her blessed. There can be no more 
eloquent tribute to her motherly tenderness and worth 
than this. 

After the log house, the next building erected was 
the barn, at the east end of the building where wc 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 39 

are, which was constructed in 1754. Its timber was 
cut on the hill directly in the rear. About that time, 
probably, a one-story, frame dwelling was built, and 
in 1777, this latter was replaced by the two-story 
house. Originally this house was two stories front, 
sloping to one story in the rear, a style of architecture 
common in those days. All the materials entering 
into its construction, save the nails and hardware, 
were from the farm. The bricks for the great 
chimnej'- were made in the pasture about 100 rods 
down the hill at a spot which can still be identified. 
The fine finish for the four front rooms was obtained 
from a single tree which stood on the west side of the 
farm, the stump of which was still pointed out within 
the memory of those now living. It was about the 
same time (1777) , though the date cannot be definitely 
fixed, that the long sheds, the cider house, which 
stood in the open space at the west end of the present 
sheds, and also the west barn, were erected. All the 
wooden materials for these buildings were cut on the 
place, and though they have since been re-covered, 
their frames, all hewn by hand, are as sound to-day 
as when first put in place more than a century and a 
quarter ago. 

We can hardly imagine now, much less appreciate, 
the toil required to rescue this home from the wilder- 
ness. One hundred and sixty years ago these hills 
and valleys were covered by the primeval forest, 



40 niSTDRICAI. ADDRESS. 

consisting of the l-Iiu, beech, rock and white maple, 
oak. black ash and birch, mixed with the spruce, pine 
and hemlock. The ground was Blled with rocks, as 
the immense double walls around the fields still 
amply prove. The soil, underlaid by a strata of hard, 
blue clay, was cold, wet and full of springs. The 
labor of subduing and Ijringing the land into cultiva- 
tion was made the more difficult by the rude, imperfect 
tools with which it had to be done. Money was not 
plentiful, and there was little market for what was 
raised on the land, flax perhajis excepted. The forest 
on the place in 1750 would of itself be w«»rth to-day a 
small fortune, but to William Smith it was valuable 
only for firewood and the lumber necessary for build- 
ing purposes. Xotwithstanding these conditions, 
however, the land was cleared and brought under 
cultivation, and the farm was made to produce the 
food, drink, medicine, fuel, lighting and shelter of 
the family. In addition to this. .Mr. Smith was 
constantly improving his house and adding to 
it conveniences and comforts; Ik- increased and 
enlarged his buildings, and added to his hoklings of 
real estate until li> 177.^ he was the owner ot about 
500 acres, unencumberetl by debts, so far as the 
records show. It speaks strongly lor the tlnitl\. 
persevering habits of economy and industrv <»n the 
part of William and ICli/.abeth Smith thai lhe\ could 
accijuijilish so nuich in the space of one generation. 



HISTORIC AI, ADDRESS. 41 

Beside his domestic concerns, William Smith was 
for many years active in town affairs, and for more 
than twenty years, at least, was almost constantly in 
public office. He was Town Counsellor in 1766, 
Selectman in 1761, '67 '69. '71, '72, '73, '77, '78 and 
'82; Town Treasurer in 1775 and 1777, tithing man 
in 1764 and 1774; Town Clerk and Assessor in 1782; 
and Moderator in 1775 and 1779. He ser\^ed also on 
many important committees during the whole period, 
particularly toward, and just after, the close of the 
Revolution. As Selectman he was charged with the 
duty of keeping the town's quota of men for the army 
full, and the requisitions on the town for commissary 
stores for the military service answered. He was one 
of those selected to settle and adjust the accounts of 
the soldiers with the town for pay and allowance, a 
most difficult and exacting service. In 1782, when 
the newly drafted constitution of the State was before 
the people for acceptance, he was a member of the 
committee to whom the voters referred it for consid- 
eration and report. When the same instrument, 
with some amendments, again came before the people 
later in the same year, he was once more named as 
one of the nine to whom the matter was committed for 
investigation. The questions involved were the most 
serious which ever came before a free people. And 
that these committees were alive to their responsi- 
bilities is shown by the record, which states that the 



first committee touUl not a^ree, and that the town on 
the report of the last committee wholly rejected the 
plan of government offered. 

As a patriot. William Smith rendered conspicuous 
ser\'ice to the cause of the Revolution. He was past 
the military age when the war opened, but his four 
sons, all who were of military age, were in the army 
and one of them was wounded. He signed the 
"Association Test" of June 17. 1776, the " Peter- 
borough Declaration of Independence," as it was 
called, as did his sons Robert and John. Beside 
his labors as one of the town officials in the most 
trying period of the struggle, he was chosen by tlie 
town a member of the Provincial Congress, which 
met at Exeter, May 17. 1775, This body was called 
together just after the battles of Lexington and 
Concord to provide for raising and equipping troops 
to resist the aggressions of the English King. Its 
debates are not reported nor are the votes of the 
members on the different measures before it on 
record. It has been assumed, and rightly, I think, 
that on all the ])roposilions adopted its action was 
unanimous, so that every delegate was fully com- 
mitted to its bold and uncompromising action. 
Among the measures, it was voted "to send a 
messenger to Albany or anywhere else" to purchase 
firearms and i)owder for the province. There was 
no money for this enterprise and the numbers pledged 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 43 

their honor 'to pay for the purchases. It requested 
the Selectmen of the towns to furnish the troops 
raised by them with arms, and if unable to do so the 
assembly assumed the expense. A commander for 
the New Hampshire troops at Cambridge was chosen, 
and muster masters were appointed to go and swear 
them into service. The Committees of Safety were 
instructed to consider all matters relating to the 
safety of the Province and to act in emergencies in 
the movement and equipment of troops to defend the 
State against its enemies. Its Committee on Supplies 
were authorized to borrow ^10,000 for warlike stores, 
and the members pledged their faith and estates to 
its payment. But the most important action of the 
Congress was on May 20, when it passed a series of 
Resolutions to raise and equip 2000 effective men 
to serve until the end of the year. The preamble 
expresses clearly the purpose and scope of this action. 
It sets out that "by the late Acts of the British 
Parliament and the Conduct of the Ministers it was 
evident that the plan was laid to subjugate this and 
other American Colonies to the most abject slavery, 
and the late hostilities committed by the British 
troops leaves no doubt in discerning that no othei* 
way is left us to preserve our most darling rights and 
inestimable privileges but by defending them with 
arms, therefore by this most terrible necessity this 
Convention, after the most solemn deliberations 
thereon, have resolved." 



44 HISTORICAL AKDRKSS. 

The second of these resolutions was: "That every 
meniher iiledge his honor and estate in the name of 
his constituents to pay their proportion of maintaining 
and paying the officers and sohliers ot the al)ove 
member while in their service." 

These acts and resolutions levied war against the 

sovereijjnty of the Knj,'lish King, and were as surely 

high treason as any action of the Continental Congress 

in the following year. Had (irt-at Britain prevailed, 

without doubt the estates of every member of the 

Congress would have been confiscated to the Crown 

and their lives forfeited had the Mother Country 

seen fit to exact them. While no letters or speeches 

of William Smith exist to show how thoroughly he 

espoused the cause of the Colonies, his action showed 

that he shared the patriotic feelings of his race, who 

were the- most uncompromising foes of Great Britain 

from the beginning of the struggle to its triumphant 

close. Their troops were on the firing line in every 

battle of the war. Hut for the Scotch -Irish, says 

Froude, the Colonies would never have won in the 

Revolutionary conflict. How far the patriotic sjiirit 

of William Smith still lingers in the blood you will 

be told later. 

One other public duty Mr. Smith performed, 
which deserves brief recognition. In 177^ the town 
voted to recomnjend liini for a'.>i)oiiitinenl to the oflice 
of Justice of the Peace, and he was at once com- 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 45 

•missioned, and recommissioned until 1803, when he 
declined further service. During this period he tried 
all the civil and criminal cases coming within the 
jurisdiction of that official which arose in town. 
There was no lawyer here until 1786, when his son 
Jeremiah was called to the bar; both had their offices 
in the southeast chamber of the house, and there the 
magistrate held his Court. Whoever has attended 
a trial before such tribunals can imagine the scenes 
there often enacted The farmer Judge, clad in 
homespun, seated behind a small table, verj^ dignified 
and loooking ver}^ wise, the noisy crowd, the coarse 
wit, the rough jokes, the loud talk of the partisans — 
all this was often seen and heard. About 1789, 
General James Wilson was also admitted to the bar 
and had his office on tlie same street, a mile to the 
north. The two lawyers were often pitted against 
each other and no doubt the trials grew in interest. 
Whether these eminent attorneys ever indulged in 
that privilege dear to the heart of every lawyer who 
loses his case, of "swearing at the Court" behind its 
back, your deponent saith not. If the magistrate's 
ears sometimes tingled at their side remarks, let us 
believe that he continued to hold the scales of justice 
with an even poise and went on deciding his cases on 
the law and the evidence before him. 

Of life within this home we have some little 
knowledge. Mrs. Smith was the disciplinarian of 



46 HISTORICAL ADDKKSS. 

ihf iaiiiii_\ ami hci incthods were g;uided by her 
Scotch nature and Calvinistic views. Undoubtedly 
she could scold if occasion required, for it was an 
acconiplishnient not unknown anions the women of 
her race. "Johnny, " asked Mr. Miller, who lived 
in the house across the road, "does your mother 
ever scold?" "Ves," answered the boy cautiously, 
"sometimes." "Sometimes!" exclaimed Mr. Miller 
in disgust, " My wife scolds etarnally." If she used 
the rod, its application was tempered by discretion 
and her strong family affection. No doubt her 
husband's gentle and philosophic temper often tried 
her patience, and no doubt, either, he was dutifully 
informed of it. "I have bten over to Samooel 
Moore's," she said to him one day, "and there is 
family discipline, so there is; and if you were worth 
your ears you'd keep your boys* to hame." "Do 
you remember the calf that we kept tied u]) in the 
barn so long?" he quickly replied. "Ay, ay." was 
the Scotchy answer. "And do you mind that when 
we let it out it run until it broke its neck?" I'r. 
Morison has not recorded the wife's rejoiner, but the 
dialogue suggests the different views of the parents 
on a point in family government. Hut the husband 
was as fiercely industrious as the wife. " Lawful 
soul," he would say to his boys when he fcnmd any 
one of thera idle, "do do something." All worked 
who were able, from early morn till "dewy eve," 



HISTORICAI, ADDRESS. 47 

from January till December. The virtue of industry 
was so persistently taught by precept and example 
that it was impressed into the very soil of the farm, 
and at least two present can testify that it was not 
all exhausted in their own younger days. And yet 
with the children work never became a grind, for 
there was plenty time given lor play, and they all 
grew up to love labor and became mighty in the use 
of all tools of husbandry and housekeeping. The 
crop which brought the best returns was flax, which 
was made into thread and cloth before it left the 
house. It was cultivated down to near the close of 
the Eighteenth Century, but the flax wheel, the 
ripple comb, the tooth brake, the swingling block, 
knife, and the hackling tools of the' industry were 
still found in the barns and attic when the place was 
sold in 1873. It was probably from the linen, both 
spun and woven by the diligent mother, that the 
educational expenses of Jeremiah and Samuel were 
largely paid. Very early in the settlement a large 
orchard was planted north of the buildings, and by 
1775 or 1776, a cider mill was in operation, which 
helped to fill the family treasury. Besides these, large 
crops of potatoes, beans, corn, oats, barley and rye 
were grown. Swine and cattle were raised and butter 
was one of the products also. Crops were abundant, 
but there were many mouths to feed and the surplus 
for sale was not very large. For all that there was a 



niSTOKICAL ADDRKSS. 

Steady gain in llic comforts of life and slyle of liviii)^. 
and the house gradually became furnished with all 
the necessities and many of the luxuries of life. 

Hooks found their way into the family slowly and 
were welcomed by all. old and young. It would be 
interesting to know when the first newspaper appeared. 
It is doubtful if it came prior to 1790. but once enter- 
ing it never went out. The children were sent to 
school and had the best educational facilities the town 
afforded. They were great readers, for the habit was 
encouraged and given ever)' opportunity for culture 
by the parents. While their school advantages were 
less than those of the generations succeeding, they 
were carefully instructed in the homely virtues of 
integrity, purity of speech and conduct, and of honor 
and truthfulness. These were taught less by precept 
than by the daily living conduct of the father and 
mother. It is but just to say of the children of 
William and Klizal.eth Smith that not one dishonored 
their parents' instruction or example. 

The domestic ties of the household were strong, 
and the affection of each for all the others was never 
broken. The Scotch- Irish were a social race and the 
trait was intensified by their early life in this Country. 
In this settlement they vi-ited back and iovlh at each 
others' houses, and the hospitalities of the table were 
offered and accepted as occasion i>resented to the 
friendly neighbor and the stranger alike. In their 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 49 

afternoon calls Mrs. Smith and her daughters took 
their flax wheels with them and spun the long threads 
of linen while they exchanged opinions and gossip 
with their acquaintances. Around the great hearth- 
stone of the kitchen, Mr. and Mrs. Smith welcomed 
their neighbors in the long winter evenings, and 
about the blazing fire the company retold the 
struggles and privations of their early days in Ireland 
and their sufferings and toil in the new land. They 
sung the old Scotch songs together and in these Mrs. 
Smith with her sweet voice held a leading part. In 
the same room the children danced, played their 
games and made merrj^ after their elders had retired. 
Could the rafters of that kitchen speak, what tales of 
earnest converse and social, happy intercourse, what 
scenes of sorrow and tears, what sounds of mirth 
and song might they not repeat! It was a plain, 
simple life, and with all its dark threads of toil and 
self-denial it was still a happy one. 

But the central feature of the family life was its 
reverent, religious character. Both heads of the 
family were members of the Presbyterian Church, 
and their sincere, devout natures made their faith a 
very real thing. The Bible was read daily in the 
household and grace was said before every meal. 
In the evening family prayers were held. May we 
not imagine the scene as it was daily enacted here for 
more than fifty years? About eight o'clock the 

7 



50 IIISTORICAl. ADDRKSS. 

family gather in the large kilclKii — in the \vinter 
season they "Round the ingle form a circle wide." 
Before the head of the house, is placed, on a table, 
the family Bible. A psalm is sung in which all join. 
A chapter is read and then all knetl down and the 
"goodman" offers prayer. The sincerity and devo- 
tion of that simple worship no one d(nibts who 
knows the deep religious faith and feeling of those 
who led the service. 

Here, too, came the minister in his pastoral 
rounds, gathering the household into the parlor, and 
beginning with the youngest examined each one in 
the shorter or longer catechism, called for the Bible 
proof texts, removed doubts, explained the obscure 
passages of Scripture and creed, and strengthened the 
grounds of faith. At such times, after a chapter in 
the Bible and family prayers. Dr. Morison tells us, 
the father would say, "this little boy can repeat 
that," and then Jeremiah would stand up and recite 
the psalm: "For Zion's sake I will not hold my 
peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest," etc. 
The delighted minister would pat the boy on the head 
and say, "Squire, this boy must be a minister, you 
must bring him up to college." "It was the 
ambition of every Scotchman," says Harrison, "to 
breed one son who should wag his ])ow in the 
pu'pit." If the i)arents shared this feeling and had 
realized their wish the State might have gained a 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 51 

good minister, but it would have lost an ablfe jurist 
sure. 

Attendance at Church was a requirement that 
could not be escaped, and all spent the remainder of 
Sunda}" in religious discussion and study. We do 
not wonder at the prominence of religion in the 
family life of the Scotch -Irish at that day. Their 
fathers had suffered bitterly for conscience sake in 
Scotland and Ireland. Here in free America they 
felt the Icjneliness and isolation of their situation, 
surrounded by the interminable forests and threaten- 
ing savages. They realized with a force we cannot 
appreciate their sense of dependence upon the Sover- 
eign Power who holds the fate of men and nations 
in His hands. To understand the influences which 
ruled in this home and molded the character of its 
inmates, large place must be given to this feature of 
its domestic life. 

In the j^ear 1791, William Smith retired from 
active labor, to spend the remainder of his days 
in that peace and freedom from toil which he had so 
richly earned. His son Jonathan had been selected 
both by himself and by his other sons as the one best 
fitted to remain at home and care for the parents in 
their old age. How faithfully he performed this filial 
duty need not be stated here. He deeded to this son 
one-half of his farm, and five years later made a will 
giving him the other half, charged with a legacy of 



52 HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 

X--U each U) llic iwo daughters, the support of John 
Scott, an old Revolutionary soldier, and the care and 
nurture of his wife while she lived. He survived 
eleven years longer, and on January 31, 1808, without 
any particular intervening disease, passed away. Ilis 
minister made special entry of the event upon the 
records of the Church, and says of him, " He was the 
most pious and benevolent man I ever knew, and I 
doubt not he has gone hence to the Church Trium- 
phant in Heaven." It is a fitting eulogy ujion a 
long, useful and honored life. Mrs. Smith survived 
him a ft-w months. Toward the end her mind 
became somewhat impaired, and she thought she had 
lost her home. Looking into her son's eyes she 
would beseech him to tal<e her back to it. "Come, 
mother," he would reply, "we will go," and taking 
her by the hand would lead her from room to room 
through the house, talking of this neighbor and that, 
and pointing out their homes. Bringing her back to 
her own apartment he would say, " Xow, mother, we 
have got there — you are at home again," and she 
would sit down contentedly in her chair. On Sept. 
15, 18U8, after a brief illness, she found that better 
liome which she was never to lose. 

To all his duties, William Smith brought a logical 
mind and a well-balanced, indepenilent judgment. 
His intelligence and general information were superior 
to those of the men about him. Ik- was one of the 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 53 

two persons described in the Town Records as 
"gentleman," and he faced all questions submitted to 
him with courage and tact. In dealings with men 
and public affairs he was governed by the highest 
principles of integrity and good faith, which soon 
won the confidence of his fellow citizens, a confidence 
which was never betrayed and never lost. At his 
death, he left a name that had become a sj'nonym for 
honor and probity, and which survived long after he 
had passed away. "A good name," says the proverb, 
" is more to be desired than many riches." Thus he 
had enriched himself and made all his descendants 
heirs of a priceless legacy. He was a peace-loving 
man. No tradition survives that he ever had a 
difference with a neighbor or that any act of his was 
ever challenged by his contemporaries. And yet, 
through all his long life he was deeply immersed in 
business, the trusted friend and counsellor of his 
townsmen, much of the time in public office, trans- 
acting affairs ir which there were often opposing sides 
and hostile interests. Such was his tact and good 
sense, and so clean was his reputation for integrity 
and impartiality that he retained the confidence and 
esteem of his fellow men to the end. Others, whose 
activities covered a wider field, have filled a larger 
place in the community; but none have left a more 
unblemished record. His was, indeed, a well- 
rounded, finished life and no words can add to the 
impressive lesson it conveys. 



54 HISTORICAL ADDRKSS. 

lie was siiii^iiUirly fortunate aiul happy in his 
raarriaRe. How nnicli of his succ-ss was due to the 
energy and talent of Elizabeth Morison. his wife, we 
may never know. It was certainh* very ^reat. In 
some ways they were much unlike. He was cool, 
even-tempered, witty and tactful. She was quick to 
decide, somewhat of a nervous temj)erament and 
expressed her views with precision and force. Her 
sense of humor was le.ss than his, but in quickness 
and keenness of retort, neither he nor any of her 
chiUlren were her match. In all the traits which Hl- 
at the basis of the Scottish character, they were 
strikingly similar, and so were admirably adapted the 
one for the other. They joined their fortunes on this 
spot when these hills and valleys were covered by 
the primeval forest; together they cleared these fields, 
built this home, and brought up their sons and 
daughters in wisdom's way. Together they joined 
this Church, lived its faith, kept their minds and 
hearts open to the new light constantly breaking in 
upon them, and intellectually and morally growing 

wiser, broader, more humane and gentle with the 
years. Together they lived to see the best of all they 
hatl labored and j>rayed for come to full fruition. 
Here they passed their declining years in a serene 
and happy old age, and in death they were not long 
divided. Hapi)y is that home which lor its first fifty 
years can tell such a noble story of a happy wediled 
life. 



HISTORICAL ADDRESS. 55 

We view this home to-day, clad in its beautiful 
new dress by the loving hands of a great grand- 
daughter, in the light of the life and example of its 
founders. We wander through its many apartments 
as they were arranged and constructed, for the most 
part, under the direction of its first occupants, and 
catch the inspiration of the spirit they impressed 
upon them. It has always been a most hospitable 
home. Here the friend, the transient guest and the 
stranger always found cordial welcome. Under its 
roof the aged parents of the founders passed their 
declining years in peace and contentment. To its 
hearthstone for more than 100 years have come back 
the children and grandchildren who have made its 
rooms echo to their laughter as with wit and story 
they recounted the incidents of their lives within its 
walls. In days long gone by, its rooms have heard 
the thrilling tales of the lives and struggles in the old 
home across the sea. Into it have been born the 
children who were destined to fill large places in 
business and public affairs. Beneath its roof has 
gathered many a wedding company to celebrate with 
joy and feasting the union of loving hearts and hands; 
and out from its doors has gone the funeral proces- 
sion, bearing its dead to "the narrow house appointed 
for all the living," on yonder bleak hillside. All the 
vicissitudes of human life, its joys and sorrows, its 
hopes and fears, have been witnessed within its 



56 IIISTORICAI. ADDKKSS. 

borders. From lirst to last it has been the aboile of 
generous living, of hi^h thinking, and of faithful. 
though humble, doing. Its foundations were laid in 
the domestic virtues and its walls were reared on the 
eternal verities which make for personal and civic 
righteousness among men. May the strong, sweet 
spirits who first established and impressed their own 
individuality so deeply upon the place reign over it 
for a hundred years yet to come! Standing on the 
spot hallowed by the toil, the self denial, and tlie love 
of William Smith and Elizabeth Morison, here where 
they lived and died, let us renew our vows of fidelity 
to their memory and return thanks for the blessed 
heritage they left us! 



MILITARY HISTORY. 

By Capt. John S. Smith. 



From such brief and imperfect investigation of 
military records as I have been able to make, I reach 
the conclusion that the descendants of William Smith 
were not, and are not, in any special sense, a warlike 
race. The profession of arms, as a life occupation, 
did not attract them. 

No member of the family was graduated from the 
Academy at West Point, or from the Naval School at 
Annapolis, or, so far as I can find out, ever sought 
admission to those, or any other similar institutions. 

Such militia duty as the law required in the states 
where they lived was cheerfully performed, and, in 
some instances, where the public safety seemed to 
demand it, or foreign or civil war was impending, 
they helped form and maintain local organizations to 
meet the needs of the hour, but when the danger was 
passed they gladly put off the uniform and resumed 
the peaceful occupations of civil life. 

But, while these descendants did not love military 
life as a profession, they have been prompt to take 
arms when their sympathies were enlisted or their 



>^ Mil ITAKY IIISTIJKV. 

patriotism aroused, and to enter the ranks of the 
citizen vohniteers, to which a reinihlic must always 
look for help in times of storm and stress. And thus 
we find that a cause, to command their sui)iH)rt. in 
that last argument to which Kings resort, musi, first 
of all, appeal to their patriotism, their love of liberty 
or their sense of justice. 

These characteristics they shared in common with 
their neighbors and townsmen, and with that great 
body of jiatriotic, healthy -minded citizens, who 
always rally to the support of their government when 
they believe she is engaged in a good cause. 

The parts assigned in the exercises permit me to 
speak of the war record of William Smith, tlie 
original proprietor of this land, as well as that of his 
descendants; but it is not my purpose to mention, 
except briefly, the military annals of the older 
members of the family. These are already matters 
of record. The story of the military services of 
William Smith and his sons has been so well told in 
the History of Peterborough, and in Jonathan Smiths 
family history that I. with no historic archives or 
other sources of information at my coinmaml, can add 
nothing of value. 

William Smith doubtless performed military ser- 
vice in his early manhood, though I can find no 
record indicating where or in what capacity. The 
constant fear of attack from hostile Indians during 



MIIvlTARY HISTORY. 59 

the early history of the town made such service 
imperative for the protection of the homes of the 
settlers. In some early records he is spoken of as a 
Lieutenant, a title he probably acquired during that 
period. 

When the Revolutionary War broke out he was 
too old for military service, but both he and his sons' 
were intensely loyal to the cause of the Colonies. 
He was a member of the Fourth Provincial Congress, 
or more properly speaking, the Fourth Provincial 
Legislature of New Hampshire, which met in 
Exeter, May 17th, 1775, and authorized the raising, 
equipment and officering of the regiments of New 
Hampshire troops which served at Bunker Hill, the 
siege of Boston, at Portsmouth, at Ticonderoga and 
in Canada; and which by its resolutions of May 20th, 
1775, pledged the honor and estate of every member 
in the name of his constituents to pay their proportion 
of the expense of maintaining these soldiers. The 
preamble of these resolutions says : ' ' No other way 
is left us to preserve our most darling rights but by 
immediately defending them by arms." All his sons 
of military age served short terras of enlistment in 
the army. 

Robert enlisted in Captain Joseph Parker's 
company of Colonel Wyman's regiment, and served 
six months in 1776 with the Northern Army at 
Ticonderoga. 



t,U .MILITARY IIISTOKV. 

John served in Captain IVtcr Coffin's company of 
minute -men at Cambridge, two mtmths and twenty- 
three da3'S, in 1775. 

JdtHt's served a short time in Captain Alexander 
Robhe's company in an expedition against Ticon- 
deroga in 1777. 

Jnt-miah, when seventeen years of age, as stated 
in Dr. .Morison's biography, ran away to enlist and 
offered himself to Captain Joseph Parker in the 
summer of 1777, as a recruit. Captain Parker refused 
to take him until he had se.-n his father, with whom 
he was acquainted. The father gave his consent on 
the condition that il the regiment was ordered into 
action the boy should be detailed to some safe duty in 
the rear. Captain Parker agreed and kept his word, 
but in the midst of the battle of Henninglon he found 
Jeremiah by his side, musket in hand; " Why did 
you come here?" said Captain Parker. "I thought 
it my duty to follow my Ca])tain," said the boy. 
A bullet grazed his throat, leaving a mark which 
remained for years; another bullet struck his gun and 
rendered it useless. He threw it aside and seized 
am^her which lay near a dying soldier and fought 
bravely till the battle was ended. He passed the 
night after the battle a.ssisting to guard the Hessian 
prisoners who were confined in the Ikiinington 
meeting-house. 

None of the descendants of William Smith served 



MILITARY HISTORY. 61 

in the war of IS 12. His children were all many 
years past military age when the war broke out and 
his grandchildren, with two or three exceptions, were 
too young for service. Moreover, the war was not 
popular in New England. It did not appeal to the 
patriotism or command the support of the people of 
this section as a wise or necessary measure. The 
embargo act of Jefferson's second administration, and 
the non- intercourse acts which followed had destroyed 
the commerce of New England and caused great 
poverty and distress through that section. American 
shipping had suffered as much from France as 
from England, and the Federalists of New England 
distrusted the French influences which appeared to 
control the policy of the administration. So that, 
while the young West and the South were hot for war, 
the war party received little support from this section. 
None of our family, so far as I know, served in 
the war with Mexico. There was nothing in the 
cause to enlist their sympathy or command their 
respect. In common with the best sentiment of New 
England, the family was opposed to the war on 
principle. General Grant, though a member of the 
war party at the time, says in his memoirs that he 
was bitterly opposed to the measure and regarded the 
war as one of the most unjust ever waged by a 
stronger against a weaker nation. He says the 
Southern rebellion was largely the outgrowth of the 



62 Mll.nAKV HISTORY. 

Mexican War and that we got our punishment in the 
most sanguinary and expensive war of modern times. 
After many years of angry debate, and many 
instances of violence and outrage, the gigantic 
struggle for secession, on one side, and for the 
preservation of the I'nion on the other, was inaugu- 
rated in 1861. It was fortunate for the cause of the 
free states that the commencement of hostilities was 
deferred so long. 

The Slavery Compromise measures of 1850, so 
repugnant to the moral sense of the North, without 
doubt put off the evil day nearly a decade. In lS5u 
the South was flushed with military success in 
Mexico, and the martial spirit was at high tide. 
Moreover, as compared with the Xorih, the South, 
both in population and resources, was, relatively, 
much stronger in ISSo than in 1860. When the 
conflict came, the strength and resources of the North 
were taxed to the utmost limit, and many times the 
issue trembled in the balance. Had the war come 
ten years earlier, possibly we may have won. but who 
can tell? 

Ix't us then not be too harsh in criticizing the 
political action of Uaniel Wtbster, who knew the 
temi>er and purpose of the southcrti i)eo])le Ixtter 
than any other northern statesman of his time, and 
who foresaw and tried to avert the storm that was 
coming ou. 



MILITARY HISTORY. 63 

The war of the rebellion was a contest of colossal 
proportions. In numbers engaged, area covered by 
the contending armies, cost, and loss of life, it 
surpassed any other conflict of ancient or modern 
times. There was, mdeed, a great difference in 
population between the free and slave states. The 
North numbered about 19,000,000 and the South 
about 9,000,000-of which 4,000,000 were slaves. 
There was a still greater disparity in wealth and 
resources in favor of the North; but the North was 
not completely united, while in the South the war 
party had the solidity and compactness of a Mace- 
donian phalanx. The negroes tilled the soil, nearly 
. every white man of military age was in the army, 
and before the contest ended, in the expressive 
language of General Grant, the cradle and the grave 
were robbed to fill the ranks. 

In the courage, heroism and endurance displayed 
on both sides, it was no unequal contest. When 
Beecher visited England during the dark days -bt 
the war, in 1863, to enlist by his eloquence, the 
sympathies of the middle classes in behalf of the 
Union cause, he spoke in the manufacturing city of 
Manchester. His audience, many of them work- 
men, -hungry and hostile — without employment on 
account of our war, was cold and critical. A man 
interrupting his address said, " Your government has 
been engaged two years in this war, why haven't you 



64 MILITARY HISTORY. 

put down your rebellion?" "I'll tell you why," 

was the instant reply. "Us bt-cause we're fi^jhtin? 

Americans, instead of Kn^lishmen." An Ku^lishnian 

appreciates courage and the andacits "f \h<- m-^wer 

commanded applause. 

To the army for the preservation o( the Union the 

descendants of William Smith contributed ten soldiers, 

and I will give a brief sketch of the services of each 

by families in order of .seniority. 

None of the descendants of Robert Smith, the 

oldest son of William Smith, served in the army. 

His youngest son, Robert, moved to Mis.sissipi)i in 

1816, and subsequently to Simmesport. La., where 

he owned and carried on a plantation. I have a 

letter from his grandson, Jesse Hamilton Smith, the 

only surviving rei)resentative of that branch of the 

family, written June 20th last, informing me that none 

of his family served in the Confederate army. His 

father was too old and he too young. When the 

war broke out his father was the jiresident of the 

Planters' Bank of New Orleans. During the struggle 

their slaves left them and all their other property 

was swept away, leaving the family destitute. It is a 

sad, pathetic story. 

Tw<j nf the descendants of John Smith served in 

the Union army during the Civil War. 

Robtit Smith, son of Juhn, and grandson of 

William Smith, was appointed at the age of fifty- 



MILITARY HISTORY. 65 

nine years, major and additional paymaster, U. S. 
Volunteers, June 1. 1861, and assigned to duty at 
St. I,ouis Mo., where he served continuously till 
April 9, 1865, when he resigned. He died at Alton, 
111., Dec. 21, 1867. 

John Smith Cavcjider, son of John and Jane 
Smith Cavender, and grandson of John Smith, was 
easily the most distinguished soldier among the 
descendants of William Smith, and performed con- 
spicuous service in the Southwestern army. I have 
a full and interesting history of his career from his 
son. Colonel J. H. Cavender, himself a soldier, from 
which I am permitted to quote. Born in 1824, the 
outbreak of the war found him with a wife and child, 
a fair share of this world's goods, and several years' 
experience in the National Guards of Missouri, then 
an extremely doubtful State, but subsequently sa^^ed 
to the Union. He entered the army at the very 
outset, and, on April 20, 1861, was mustered in 
Colonel Frank P. Blair's Regt., 1st Mo. Volunteer 
Infantry, as Captain of Company G. May 10, 1861, 
he took part in the capture of Camp Jackson under 
General Nathaniel Lyon, and under the same com- 
mander on Aug. 10, 1861, he fought in the bloody 
battle of Wilson's Creek. Here I.yon was killed, 
and he himself nearly killed, being wounded three 
times-twice with buck-shot and once by a minnie 
ball, which tore a hole through his lung. He was 



66 MILITARY HISTORY. 

left for deail on the field, ami subsequently taken to 
Springfield by the Confederates, but later was j^iven 
up to his family as likely to die anyway, and brought 
back to St. Louis. While recovering from wounds, 
his regiment returned to St. Louis, and at Camp 
Cavender was re-organized into the 1st Mo. Artillery. 
He rejoined his regiment in the latter part of 1.S61, 
was promoted to ^L'ljor, and, in command of the Jnd 
Battalion, took part in General Fremont's South- 
western expedition. In 1862, under General Grant, 
in General Charles F. Smith's Division, his command 
occupied the first line in front of Fort Donelson from 
Feb. 12th to 16th. and was under heavy fire. The 
weather was extremely severe, and the suffering of 
the troops, in their exposed position, was intense. 
On Saturday, the 15th, his batteries actually partici- 
pated in General Smith's charge, which resulted in 
the capture of the fort, several of liis sections going 
through the abatis, over the logs and ditches, and up 
the hill, arriving in the enemies' line almost as soon 
as the infantry — a very unusual and difficult feat. 

His next battle was Shiloli, April 6th and 7th, 
1862. Here he commanded six batteries, ami with 
the support of General \V. H. Wallace's Division 
and the small r<ninanl of General rrcntiss' Division, 
formed, what General Albert Sidney Johnston (killed 
on the first day of the battle) christened the "Hor- 
nets' Nest." This i)osition was charged repeatedly 



MILITARY HISTORY. 67 

by the brave and gallant troops under Hindman, 
Breckenridge and otlier famous Confederate com- 
manders, but the assaults were heroically repulsed 
and the position held eight hours, when, after a 
great concentration against it of troops and batteries 
from the corps of Generals Bragg and Polk, the 
"Hornets" were obliged to retire, and the force 
under General Prentiss was captured. 

Major Cavender took part in the siege of Corinth 
from April 30th to May 30th, and remained with his 
command until the call of the President for more 
troops in July, 1862. He then returned to St. Louis, 
on leave, and helped raise and organize the 29th 
Volunteer Infantry, of which he was, Oct. 18, 1862, 
commissioned Colonel. The Regiment was assigned 
to General Blair's brigade in the Army of the Ten- 
nessee. He was with Sherman's expedition up the 
Yazoo River, and participated in the disastrous attack 
on the rebel force in the impregnable bluffs back of 
Vicksburg, Dec. 28 and 29, 1862. The expedition 
failing here, Colonel Cavender's regiment took part 
in the reduction of Arkansas Post, Jan. 11, 12 and 
13, 1863, in which his regiment sustained severe loss. 
After this, on account of his father's death, he 
returned to St. Louis, on leave, and finding his 
pergonal attention to his own and his father's 
business affairs absolutely necessary, he resigned 
his commission, Feb. 19, 1863. After leaving the 



68 MII.ITAKY HISTORY. 

army he was niailc a liii^aiu. r Ljcncral Ijv brevet, 
for gallant coiuliict and services at Donelson, Shiloh 
and Chickasaw liayoii. He died in St. Louis, Mo.. 
Feb. 23, 1886. 

John Pun tor Smith, son of Josey)li Addison and 
grandson of James Smith, born July 24, 1837, was 
a member of an independent regiment called the 
Hallock Guards, organized in St. Louis in 1861. 
when the city was in constant fear of rebel attacks. 
This regiment was called to Hoonville, Mo., in 1861 
to ])revent a threatened seizure of the town by the 
Confederate forces under General Price, but per- 
formed no service outside the State. I have not 
been able to obtain the dates of his enlistment and 
discharge. Present residence, St. Louis, Mo. 

Four of the descendants of Jonathan Smith, 
whose entire life was passed on the Kim Hill farm, 
served in the Union army during the Civil War. 

Sun in! Cordon, son of John and Hetsy Smith 
Gordon, and grandson of Jtinathan Smith . born May 
3, 1825, enlisted in Co. C. 118th Regiment, 111. 
Volunteer Infantry, in Aug., 1862, and served con- 
tinuously with his conun;ind till In* was nuistered 
out. Oct. 1, 186.S. He participated in the battles of 
Chickasaw Hluff, Arkansas Post. Thompson's Hill, 
Champion Hills, lilack River Hridge, Siege of Vi«ks- 
burg, Grand Caton P.ayou and Port Hudson, and 
numerous skirmishes. His regiment performed much 



MII^ITARY HISTORY. 59 

liard and perilous service. It marched more than 
10,000 miles, and lost in battle and by disease, more 
than half its original members. Samuel Gordon died 
in Hamilton, 111., Oct. 18, 1901. 

William H. Smith, born Nov., 1839, son of 
William and grandson of Jonathan Smith, enlisted 
in Captain John W. Chickering's Company F, S8th 
111. Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel 
Frank Sherman. His regiment was in General 
Sill's Brigade and formed a part of General P. H. 
Sheridan's Division in General Joseph McCook's 
Corps. He took part with his regiment in the battle 
of Perryville, Ky., in Dec, 1862, and in the desperate 
engagement at Stone River, Tenn., Dec. 31, 1862, 
and Jan. 1, 1863. In the latter battle his brigade 
commander was killed, his regiment suffered severely, 
and he was taken prisoner. After the battle, the 
Confederates being unable to guard or feed the 
prisoners, they were paroled, and William made his 
way to St. I^ouis, Mo., where he reported at the 
parole camp to await exchange. While there he 
was detailed as clerk at army headquarters. After 
his exchange he was discharged by order of the War 
Department, Sept. 24, 1863, to accept a position as 
paymaster's clerk. Present residence, ^Minneapolis, 
Minn. 

Jolm Stearns Smith, son of John and grandson of 
Jonathan Smith, born Nov. 27, 1837, enlisted as 



70 M 1 1 . i 1 \ Is ^ I i I > 1 I ' K \ . 

private in Company K, 6th Regiment N H. Vol. 
Infantry, Oct. 14, iSM ; was mnstered into the ser- 
vice of the United States and promoted to Sergeant, 
Nov. 28, 1861 ; was promoted to 1st Sergeant of 
Company H. July 1, 1862; to 2nd Lieutenant of same 
Company, Nov. 1, 1S62; and to 1st Lieutenant and 
Adjutant of his regiment, March in, \S(^^. He was 
mustered out by expiration of term of ser\'ice, March 
2, 1865. 

He was re-appointed 1st Lieutenant of Company 
B, 9th Regiment, U. S. Vet. \'oluntt-er Infantry, June 
10, 1865; was promoted to Captain of Company K, 
Nov. 10, 1865; and mustered out June 19, 1866, 
services being no longer required. His entire service 
in the 6th N. H. Regiment was in the 9th Army 
Corps, commanded first by Major General Burnside 
and afterwards by Major General Parke. The Corps 
saw a great variety of service, both East and West. 
According to record endorsed on his discharge from 
the 6th Regiment, he participated in the following 
battles : 

Camden, N. C, April 19, 1862. 

Hull Run, \'a., Aug. 29 and ."^0, 1862; wounded 
by nuisket ball in head. 

Fredericksburg, \'a. , Dec. 13, 1862. 

\'icksburg and Jackson, .Miss., Juut- and July, 
1863. 

Slightly wounded at Jackson, July IJlh, by 
minnie ball on hip. 



MILITARY HISTORY. 71 

In General Grant's Army in Virginia in 1864 he 
took part in the following engagements; 

Spottsylvania Court House, May 16 to 24. 

North Anna River, May 25 and 26. 

Tolopotomy Creek, May 30 and 31. 

Bethesda Church, June 3. 

Cold Harbor, June 9. 

Petersburg, June 16, 17 and 18. 

Cemetery Hill. July 30; slightly wounded by 
piece of shell on hand. 

Weldon R. R., Aug. 9. 

Poplar Grove Church, Oct. 1. ' 

Hatcher's Run, Oct. 2 7. 

His service while in the 9th Regiment, U. S. Vet. 
Volunteers was garrison duty, and included no field 
service. Present residence, St. Paul, Minn. 

Jonathan Siniih, son of John, and grandson of 
Jonathan Smith, born Oct. 21, 1842, enlisted in 
Company E, 6th Regiuient, N. H. Vol. Infantry, 
Nov. 1, 1861, and was discharged for physical 
disability in Baltimore, Md., Dec. 20, 1862. 

He re-enlisted in Company E, 1st N. H. Vol. 
Cavalry, Aug. 16, 1864; was promoted to Sergeant 
of his Company; and was mustered out on account 
of close of the war, July 15, 1865. During his 
connection with the cavalry, he served on the upper 
Potomac, guarding Washington and Maryland against 
Mosby's guerillas. I had personal knowledge of his 



MII.ITARV HISTORY. 

record in the 6th Regiment, for we were in the same 
company. Tall and slender, a boy in years, his 
physical eqnipment for the exposure and hardships 
of the camp and the march, was not good; but in 
spite of this drawback he served constantly with his 
regiment in the severe campaign under Pope in 
\'irginia in the summer of '62. and participated in 
the desperate battles of Hull Run and Chantilly, 
Va., and South Mountain, Md., remaining with his 
comi)any until Sept. 16th, when he was sent to the 
hospital. 

Tlie battle of Bull Run was the most disastrous 
and sanguinary of any in wliich our regiment took 
part — we went on the field with 450 men in line; 
and in a terrific charge on Stonewall Jackson's lines, 
through the woods and across a railroad cut. on the 
afternoon of the i9th, in less than an hour we 
sustained a loss of 210, nearly halt our number. 1 
well remember the pleasure with which I greeted my 
brother, when, after a search among the woumleil on 
the morning of the 30tli. he found lue at a field 
h(jspital on the bank of Hull Run Creek. 

"Jock," said I. "how did you happ.-n to get out 
of that i)lace without getting hit?" 

" Hit;" he said, straightening himself up. "look 
at me: the Rebs might as well have shot at tin- edge 
<.f a lath!" 



MILITARY HISTORY. 73 

In this place it seems fitting to mention Rev. 
Samuel Abbot Smith, born April 18, 1829, son of 
Samuel G., and grandson of Samuel Smith, the 
founder of Peterborough village. Although not 
regularly enrolled or commissioned in the Union 
Army, he as truly sacrificed his life for the cause 
as if he had been killed in battle. His patriotism 
was a part of his religion. He was untiring in his 
devotion to the soldiers and their families, and on 
ever>^ occasion was an eloquent advocate of the cause 
they went forth to maintain. In April, 1865, as the 
representative of the Sanitary Commission and the 
American Unitarian Association, he visited Norfolk 
and Portsmouth, Va. He was the guest of General 
Hooker at Fortress Monroe, and, while laboring in 
the camps and hospitals, contracted a malarial fever 
which ended his noble and useful life on the 20th of 
May, 1865. 

Three other grandsons of Samuel Smith served 
the cause of the Union, and all were the sons of 
William Sydney Smith. 

William A. Smith, the oldest, was the only 
representative of his family who served the Union 
cause in the Navy. Horn Feb. 9, 1836; he was 
appointed Acting Master's Mate Dec. 27, 1861; and 
Ensign, Nov. 21, 1863. He served on the U. S. 
Steamship "James H. Chambers," and on the 
"Michigan," and was discharged Oct. 8, 1865. 
He died at Plattsmouth, Neb., Feb. 24, 1870. 

10 



74 MILITARY HISTORY. 

I knew liiiu intimately. In his boyhood he went 
to sea — before the mast — and visited many distant 
ports during his connection with the merchant 
marine. He became an exj)erienced navigator, and 
combined the generosity and impulsiveness of the 
sailor with the courage of the soldier. His service 
in the navy was mostly on the Southeastern Coast 
of the United States, intercepting and capturing 
Confederate blockade runners. He assisted in the 
seizure of many valuable prizes, and his experiences 
were romantic and exciting. 

Josiah P. Sinil/i, third son of William Sydney 
Smith, born Oct. 20. 1S40, enlisted as private in Co. 
B, Sth X. H. \'olunteer Infantry, Oct. 1, 1861. and 
was killed in the assault on Port Hudson. Louisiana, 
June 14. 1S6.^. Uu was the only member of our 
family killed in battle. I recall him as a generous, 
imimlsive boy, apparently without any .sense of fear. 
He particii)ated with his Regiment in the engagements 
at Labadieville, La., Oct. 27. 1S62; Bisland, I, a., 
April 12 and 13, 1.S63, and took part in the severe 
fighting about Port Hudson May 26, 27, 29 and 31, 
and June 14, 1X63. His Captain, Charles H. Camp, 
says that on the morning of the assault it was known 
that his Regiment would take part in the charge; 
Josiah had been in the hospital for some days, ill 
with malarial fever. Hearing that his Regiment was 
going into action, he g(.t up. dressed, and took his 



MILITARY HISTORY. 75 

place in the ranks. His Captain, seeing this, went 
up to him and told him he was not able to go, and 
was excused from duty, and directed him to leave 
the ranks. Josiah said, "I have been in every fight 
the Regiment has had so far, and I am not going to 
miss this one." He staid with his Company, and in 
the fierce and impetuous charge that followed he fell 
in the abatis, close under the rebel redoubt. He 
was shot through the head and his body was not 
recovered. His Captain spoke of him in the highest 
terms as a brave and faithful soldier. 

Sydney S. Smith, fourth son of William Sydney 
Smith, born Feb. 8, 1843, enlisted in Aug., 1864, in 
the 4th Regiment, Mass. Heavy Artillery, and went 
into camp at Galloups Island, Boston Harbor. In 
September the Regiment went to the front and was 
stationed in the vicinity of Washington. It did 
garrison duty in Forts Whipple, Corcoran, Berry 
and Williams, but saw no active field service, and 
was mustered out of service about June 1st, 1865. 
Sydney died in Alton, 111., July 9th, 1871. 

For many years the veterans of the struggle for 
the preservation of the Union were accustomed to 
speak of things that happened during the " late war." 
They can do this no longer. Another generation has 
come on the stage and there has been a later war. 
The war with Spain, entered into from the highest 
motives of philanthropy to rescue a feeble republic 



MILITARY HISTt)RV. 

from the gjasp of a cruel and relentless master, was 
of short duration and brilliant achievement. 

Two of the descendants of William Smith served 
in that war, and it was no fault of theirs that they did 
not reach the firing line before the contest ended. 

John Howard CavemUr, son of General John S. 
Cavender, and great, great grandson of William Smith, 
born May 15th. 1855, was in 1898 Lieut. Colonel of 
The National Guard of Missouri, a military organi- 
zation to which his father had belonged 37 years 
before. This Regiment tendered its services to ihe 
Government and was mustered into the service of t la- 
United States at Jefferson IJarracks, May 13, 1898, as 
the First Missouri Vol. Inf'y, with John II. Cavender 
as Lieut. Colonel. The Regiment was the first in 
the state to tender its services to the Government- 
It was stationed at Camp Geo. II. Thomas in Georgia 
for about four months during 1898, with Lieut. Col. 
Cavender in command, and in spite of trying condi- 
tions of climate, became a very efficient and soldierly 
body of men. The regiment was mustered out at 
Jefferson Barracks, Oct. 31, 1898. 

.Ubert Smith, only son of Payson and Catherine 
Smith, grandson of Dr. Albert Smith, and a repre- 
sentative of the fourth generation from William Smith 
through both his i)arents, closed his books at 
Dartmouth College and enlisted as i)rivate in Co. G, 
First N. H. Vol. Inly, April 15. 1898. His regiment 



MILITARY HISTORY. 77 

served with the army reserves at Chicamauga Park, 
in Georgia and Lexington, K5\, about six and one- 
half months and was mustered out on account of close 
of the War the last of October, 1898. While at 
Lexington, Ky., he was promoted to Corporal of his 
Company. 

The military register of the family would be 
incomplete without mention of the remarkable career 
of John Foster Bass with the armies of Southern 
Europe and the Orient. 

He spent over a year in Greece (1897-8) as war 
• correspondent of British and American publications, 
going through the Cretan rebellion and the Greco - 
Turkish War. During this war he joined a company 
of Greek volunteers to help the Cretans in their 
contest with the Turks. After that he was about 
two years in the Philippines and was slightly wounded 
in one of the battles there. He accompanied the 
American forces to Pekin in the Boxer insurrection, 
and sent the first dispatch which reached this country 
announcing the safety of the embassies. 

In 1903 he went to Turkey for Mr. Bennett of the 
N. Y. Herald, at the request of the Sultan, to 
investigate the condition of the Turkish army and 
disprove statements made in this country regarding 
outrages committed by the Turks. 

He is now with the first division of the Japanese 
army in Manchuria, under Kuroki. 



78 MILITARY HISTORY. 

In tliis lite of cxjM->uiv aiul aiivciiture he has 
displayed in a conspicuous dcj-^ree the qualities out of 
which jrreat soldiers are made. lie is the son of 
Perkins and Clara Foster Hass, and represents the 
fourth «:eneration from William Smith. 

In closing these annals, I will say I have made 
diligent inquir>' and have included all those of whose 
military service I could find any trace. If any have 
been omitted whose names should appear, I sincerely 
regret it. On account of the limitation of time and 
space I have been compelled to leave out many 
incidents which were interesting and worthy of 
mention. 



ROBERT SMITH AND HIS DESCENDANTS. 

By J. Gordon R. Wright. 



As I take mj^ pen to write this short sketch of our 
branch of the family it is with increasing regret that I 
am not privileged to be in person at the reunion and 
become acquainted with the various branches of a 
family for whom I have such a respect that I might 
well be charged with immodesty. 

My short article must be from the nature of the 
case very personal, as I am not posted as to the 
whereabouts of even my nearest relatives except in a 
very limited way. 

I shall trust that so much of this personality may 
be looked upon as a form of introduction to you, 
rather than an attempt to force ourselves unasked 
upon 3^our attention. 

As my Aunt Fanny is reputed to have said to my 
Uncle William (her brother), "We are not very 
prolific and would be poor members of a colonization 
scheme." This seems to have been true in our 
line, not only from the fact that many have remained 
unmarried, but also, that death seems to have come 
in early life to the large majority of us. 



go MILITARY HISTORY. 

My family comes through Rob.ii, ih^- oldest son 
of William Smith. IK- was l.<»rn Feb. 15th. 1753. 
From one authority I learn that '-he xvas a Yery 
pious man. Deacon of the Church, respected for his 
good sense and Christian character." Another 
author states: "He was a Deacon in the Presby- 
terian Church, and Yery much respected for his 
good sense and Christian character." He liYed on 
a farm in the south part of the to^vn (Peterborough) 
originally deeded by Jeremiah Gridley. John Hdl 
and John FoxYle, to Halbut Morison in 1753, and 
by him to William Smith June 2, 1761, and by him to 
his son Robert. He died in consequence of an injury 
to his kuee on December 31, 1795, aged forty -three 
years, and before his father. nyIio died Jan. 31, ISOS, 
aged eighty -fiYe years. 

He married May 25,177S, Agnes Smiley, daughter 
of William Smiley. She died Oct. lo. 1791, being 
the mother of tvYo children. William, bo.n May 16, 
1779, and Fanny, born Aug. 4, 17S0. He certainly 
impresses me as a gentleman xvho had been well 
pleased ^vith the married estate, so much so in fact 
that he remained a ^vido^Yer less than seYen mouths 
and after a courtship Nvl.ich had at least the ..uality of 
breYity married in May, 1792, Isabel Ames who 
outliYed him. and afterNvards married a- lur second 
husband Shubael Hurd. ..f Lempster. N. U.. dvin- 
in August, 1S47. aged eighty four years. 




•r 




< 




I 




ROBERT SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 81 

Robert Smith and Isabel Ames were the parents of 
three children, Jesse and Stephen (twins) born Mar. 
6, 1793, and Robert, born Aug. 8, 1795. 

William Smith lived to be sixty -one years of age, 
dying Aug. 31, 1840. He was sadly and unaccount- 
ably, as far as I have been able to discover, subject to 
epilepsy which greatly impaired his mental powers. 

Fanny was reputed to have been an eccentric 
but very talented woman. I am indebted to Jonathan 
Smith, of Clinton, Mass., for a letter containing many 
reminiscences from which I make the following 
extracts: "Fanny Smith was a small, slender woman, 
with blue eyes. In her younger days her hair must 
have been very light brown or yellow, but I do not 
remember her when it was not thick and white. She 
spoke with a strong Scotch accent, the only one of 
the family I ever knew who did so. She was 
indifferent as to dress in her later years. In her youth 
she had the vanities of her sex in that particular. She 
was a great reader and always subscribed for two 
newspapers— The New York Evangelist, a sheet of the 
most conservative, Calvinistic type, and the Liber- 
ator, published by Garrison. These she read and 
re-read down to the end of her days. She used to 
make long visits at our house and her wit and 
eccentricities were sources of great amusement to us 
children. One of the first things she would do was 

to get hold of the youngest and hire it to commit a 

11 



82 ROBKRT SMITH \M> DKSCHNDANTS. 

long chapter in the Hible. I remember her drilling 
my youngest brother t)ii one of the Psalms until I 
could repeat it myself, ami I think the money she 
paid him was the first he ever earned. She was a 
great talker, very witty, and keen as a razor's edge. 
Hoth of her cousins together. Dr. Albert Smith and 
my father, who were much like her in that, were 
hardly a match for her, and I have a vivid recollec- 
tion of their long discussions about the open fire at 
the old house when they would attack her abolitionism 
and orthodoxy, ])ut she gave them as good as she got 
in every instance. vShe was deeply interested in 
Sunday Schools and was one of the veiy first to take 
uj) the work in the vicinity of her residence. She 
was thoroughly Scotch -Irish in her mental and moral 
makeup and had all their independence, their wit. 
and talent for repartee, their intelligence, and their 
supreme interest in political and religious questions. 
She willed her property to the Anti- Slavery Society, 
but after her debts, etc., were paid there was not much 
left. While the Peterborough relatives used to make 
some fun of her eccentricities, yet they had great 
respect for her and fully appreciated her talents, 
which under a different life from the one she led — she 
lived all alone — would have won for her the name of a 
very remarkable woman. After her death my mother 
asked Rev. Samuel Abbott Smith to write a short 
sketch of her, but for some reason he never did and 



ROBERT SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 83 

now we all deeply regret it. If she could have lived 
a few years longer she would have seen the fondest 
desire of her heart, the abolition of slavery, realized. 
But the inscription she had placed on her monument 
met a prophecy of the faith that was in her, and some 
of her family, opposed as they were to her views, had 
a humble hand in bringing it about." Of Aunt 
Fanny, Dr. J. H. Morison writes in the history of 
Peterborough, "She was a woman of decided ability. 
She was a decided Calvinist, and in her theological 
encounters with the ablest of her Uncles they did not 
always come off triumphant. When I was a child of 
nine or ten she used to walk from Rindge to Peter- 
borough on Sundays, to take the entire charge of 
two Sunday Schools, one in the village at the center 
of the town, and the other in an old, uninhabited 
house near my father's. I was one of her scholars, 
and recited to her from memory nearly the whole of 
the Gospel of Matthew. Her devotional services when 
she kneeled down and prayed in the school were very 
impressive. She did, in this way, a great deal of 
good. Wherever she was she endeavored, and usually 
with success, to induce the people around her to 
study the Bible. Later in life she became deeply 
interested in the anti -slavery movement, and I can 
not read without deep emotion the remarkable and 
prophetic inscription which she prepared for her 
monument." 



84 K(1H1"RT SMITlt \N1> nKSCrVTi \ NTS. 

She hersclt onlcrctl the marble obelisk which 
stands over her K^ave, ami dictated the inscription 
in 1S5S, the year of her death " I'his side is 
dedicated to the glorious cause of Emancipation. 
May God prosper it, and all the people say Amen." 

Of Jesse, son of Robert, I have found the 
following extracts, and am glad to give tJiem to 
you. Ur. J. II. Morison says, "Jesse was a most able 
and accomplished physician, and his early death 
was regarded as a great pu])lic loss to the city of 
Cincinnati. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 
1814. lie concluded to study the medical profession, 
but having expended all his means, and more too, 
and having incurred debts for his collegiate educa- 
tion, he was obliged to teach for a few years while 
pursuing his medical studies and did not receive his 
degree till 1S19, when he graduated in the medical 
class of that year in Harvard University. In 1S20 
he was appointed to lecture on Anatomy in the 
Dartmouth Medical College, where he acquitted 
himself so creditably that he was invited to the 
Professorship of Anatomy and Surgery in the Ohio 
Medical College ol Cincinnati, which he accejjted 
and held to the time of his death. He became 
eminent as a surgeon, standing at the very head 
of tlie profession in the Western States. Ik- was 
an independent and strong-minded man, willi an 
indomitable will that overcame all obstacles, and with 



ROBERT SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 85 

a wide culture in his profession which rendered him 
an interesting and instructive lecturer." 

Dr. Ephraim Peabody said of him: "His mind 
was thoroughly possessed by that foundation of every 
virtue, a sense of his own personal responsibility.which 
governed his life with the omnipotence of habit. 
Hence that firmness and independence of purpose, 
which kept its calm and Cv^en way, equally incapable 
of being seduced by the solicitations or overawed by 
the fear of man. His iron firmness of resolve seemed 
almost to partake of obstinacy till a more intimate 
acquaintance showed that it was the result of a 
character where the mental and moral powers were 
peculiarly well proportioned, where habits of inde- 
pendent, clear thought left no wavering of mind, and 
the moral energy fully sustained the intellectual 
decision. And interfused through these more rugged 
features was a true tenderness of nature which 
softened down everything like austerity and preserved 
for manhood the simple feelings of the child. It 
struck men almost strangely, who had seen him only 
in the struggle of life, to witness how quickly and 
deeply he was touched by everything that interested 
others, until it was remembered how much better the 
firm character preserves the original susceptibilities 
of the heart, than the feeble. But that which shed 
beauty over his character, and commanded the love 
and respect of his friends so deeply, was the light and 



86 KOUKKT SMITH AND Dl'SCKNDANTS. 

strfn>;ih ii itcciveii from religious laiih. In conver- 
sation, my friend speaks also of his fearless intrepidity 
of spirit, which united with the Peterborough humor, 
that spares no one, and with a fratne of mind so 
vigorous gave to those who knew him little the idea 
of coarseness and levity, hiding at once the nice 
susceptibilities, deep feelings and lofty principle, 
which were really with him the controlling powers. 

From my knowledge of my grandfather I gather 
that lie was an obstinate, independent, self-willed, 
and dominating character, hard to bend to tlie judg- 
ment of others even though he might recognize their 
great and possibly greater ability. 

My grandmother (his wife) was at least his equal 
in intelligence and ability, and far his superior in 
business capacity. She it was who paid his debts 
after his graduation and bought for him his first case 
of surgeon's instruments. His whole life was in 
his profession. It was she alone who made that 
profession pay the revenue required for the suste- 
nance of the family, and made the investments, some 
of which are still held in my family. 

Stephen, my grandfather's twin brother, was 
married three times. l)ut as far as we know his 
children all died before him without issue. lie 
lived in liuffalo, is said to have been very successful 
financially, and died in 1X67. at the age of seventy - 
four. He was, I believe, what is calleil "very near," 



ROBERT SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 87 

and I have thought from what I have heardof him that 
his fortune, which was large for the time in which 
he lived, was more the result of extreme thriftiness 
and economy, denying himself and family all the 
luxuries and many of the ordinary comforts of life, 
than any large capacity for business. He could not 
have been a man of lovable and sociable disposition, 
for although I was a boy of fifteen years of age when 
he died, I never remember to this day of even his 
name being mentioned except in a most casual way, 
and his death, if known, was not commented on in 
our family. This can not but impress me deeply as 
he was my mother's father's twin brother. 

Robert, my grandfather's youngest brother, and 
his great favorite, went as a young man to the South, 
teaching first at Centervalle, Miss., and afterwards 
was a planter" and slave owner of Louisiana, where he 
died about the year 1852. He was very prosperous 
in his business, bought a large plantation in Avoyelles 
Parish, La., on Bayou De'Glaze, four miles west of 
Simmsport, and was for many years President of 
the Planters' Bank at New Orleans. 

He left but one child, Samuel, born at Centerville, 
whom my mother remembers as having been brought 
North by my grandfather and kept in school at 
Cincinnati for some months or possibly years. As 
indicating my grandfather's affection and confidence 
in Robert (and it has seemed to me, the reverse in 



88 RORi-KT '^MiTH ANii r)rc;ri*Nn A NTS. 

his twill hroihcr StcphcM, who lived so much nearer 
to him), his will requested that in case of the death 
of liis widow that his only surviving (-"hild, in\- 
mother, should be sent South to his brother Robert 
for fatherly care and protection. 

This would never have been, howevt-r, as after 
the reading of the will, my grandmother, in her quiet 
but forceful way, gave my uKJther and the executors 
of grandfather's will distinctly and thoroughly to 
understand that no child of her's should live or be 
reared in a country of slavery. 

I am thankful to say, however, that the question 
never had to be decided, as niy grandmother lived 
to eighty -nine years and was surrounded by grand- 
children and great grandchildren, who to-day rise up 
from personal remembrance and call her blessed. 

Thus you see that from all Robert Smith's 
children but one boy (a son of Robert) and one 
girl (a daughter of Jesse) lived to maturity and 
represented our line in the third generatit)n from 
William Smith. 

It has only been recently that I have known 
anything of Samuel Smith and family. 

John Stearns Smith, of St. Paul, recently wrote me 
eticlosing a letter from Jesse II. Smith from which I 
learn that he is the sole survivor of his father's 
family of seven children. 

Sanniel Smith was the (Jtdv heir to the consider- 



; ROBERT SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 89 

able estate of his father, but was one of the sufferers 
in the war of the Rebellion and lost his whole fortune. 

He married Lucy Ellen Poole, who was born and 
reared in Portland, Maine. 

They moved with their family after the loss 
of tlieir fortune to Arkansas in 1870, and never 
recovering from his great losses, died there in 
1884, surviving his wife but one year. 

They left seven children who were all married 
but as far as I know died without issue, except 
Jesse, named for my grandfather, and whose present 
address is Hamburg, L,a. 

Jesse was born in 1849 and I believe is the only 
survivor of our line with the exception of my own 
immediate family. 

Although my grandfather, Jesse Smith, was the 
father of seven children, only one lived to maturity, 
Mary Elizabeth. She was born in Cincinnati, March 
7th, 1830, and married in June, 1851, John R. 
Wright. Her mother had married many years before 
as her second husband the father of John R. , so that 
they were reared together as brother and sister and 
loved each other from childhood to old age. 

God never blessed children with more devoted, 
self-sacrificing or loving parents. It is a subject of 
which my heart is full but I cannot feel that I am 
entitled to the time to introduce you to all that is 
in my mind of them. Suffice it to say they were 

12 



90 ROBERT SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 

wonderfully prospered in every way and reared a 
family of such children as one would expect from 
sensible, pains-takiiiu:. compaiii()nal)lc and C.od- 
fearinj; ])arents. 

Nine children blesseil the union, six of thcni 
arrived at maturity and were all married, making 
such wise choices that we feel like a large family 
of own brothers and sisters. 

Our names in the order of our biith are as 
follows : 

1. J. Gordon R., married Celia L. Doughty; 
children: Mary Louise and Annie Hailey. Mary 
Louise married Malcom McAvoy; child: Marjorie. 

2. Jessie Smith, married A. P. Foster, son of 
Bishop Foster of the Methodist Ivpiscopal Church; 
child: Helen Wright. This dear sister left us for 
her Heavenly home, June 29, 1894. 

3. Clifford Bailey, married Virginia Ramsey; 
children: Ethel and Clifford Ramsey. 

4. Mary Klizabeth, married William A. Goodman, 
Jr. 

5. Annie Bramhall, married Geo. W. Taussig; 
children: John Wright and Mariaiuia Wright. 

6. (ileii, married Isabel Noyes. 

J. Gordon R., Clifford H., and Mary M. make 
their homes in Cincinnati. 

A. 1'. I'-oster, with daughter Helen, and Glen, 
reside in New York City. 



ROBERT SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 91 

Annie E. lives in Kirkwood, Mo., a suburb of 
St. Louis. 

The children of my parents are all leading 
honorable and successful lives, respected by the 
communities in which they live. Their names are 
found among the officers of many of our leading 
organizations, financial, religious, charitable and 
social. I know our dear mother is capable of 
judging, and should be unbiased in her judgment, 
and she says: "She is proud of her children." 
Nothing can or should bring greater joy than to 
feel we are living up to a good woman's ideal. 

In closing, I present the toast of tiny Tim: " God 
bless us, every one." 



JOHN SMITH AND HIS DESCENDANTS. 

HY Cdl.. J<MIN H. L A\ l-.MM-.K. 



John Smith, second son of William ami Klizabeth 
Morison Smith, was born at Peterborongh, X. II., 
April 111, 1754. He married, December 17, 179L, 
Margaret Steele, danghter of Captain David Steele 
of that town. Eight children were born to them. 
"Squire John," as he was called, was a large man. 
both in stature and mind, and a pleasant, kindly man. 
He enjoyed the affections, as well as the respect of 
his fellow townsmen. ¥ov many years he held some 
of the most important public offices within their gift. 
He was a man of generous impulses, plain in spt-cch, 
dress and manner, despising pretense, meanness and 
dishonesty. Nothing can be added by the writer at 
this late day, to what has long since been written of 
him. 

W'c havf more to do witli his childrt-n and 
children's children. An accident caused his death 
at Peterboroiigh, Aug. 7, 1H21. in his sixty -seventh 
year. His wife died at I'ranklin, September 30, 1839,. 

Harriet, eldest child of Juhu Smith, was born at 



JOHN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 93 

Peterborough, Nov. 3, 1792. She never married, 
and died there, May 17, 1818. • - c '. 

Louisa, second child of John Smith, was born at 
Peterborough, May 9, 1795. She married, September 
18, 1827, Joshua Fifield of Franklin. They had four 
children. All died in early childhood, except Mary 
Mansfield, born Feb. 8, 1835. Joshua Fifield, while 
on a visit to his wife's brother, died at Alton, Illinois, 
Nov. 27, 1840. Louisa in 1857, took up her 
residence at Alton, where she died in the autumn of 
1878. Mary, her daughter, married in Alton in 
November, 1857, George Kellenberger. IJe died 
there Jan. 4, 1866. Mary died at Chicago, Mar. 16," 
1900, leaving two daughters, Annie Kellenberger, 
t»orn at Alton, Dec. 28, 1859, who never married and 
is now (1904) living at Chicago; and Edith, born at 
Alton, Jan. 23, 1861. She married an Englishman, 
Dr. Charles Monk. They have three young children 
and live in Wiesbaden, Germany, where her husband 
practices dentistry. 

John, third child of John Smith, was born at 
Peterborough, April 16, 1797. He left there in 1822, 
going to Northfield, N. H., there engaging with John 
Cavender and Thomas Baker in establishing a cotton 
factory. He never married, and died at Salisbury, 
N. H., Oct. 8, 1822. It is said of him that he had a 
very fine singing voice, and was universally beloved. 
Jane, fourth child of John Smith, was born at 



y4 JttllN >3I1111 AMI Ul.hLI.-NUA.N rS. 

Peterborough, March 14, 1800. She married Aug:. 
16, 1S23, John Cavender of Greenfield, N. II., at that 
time a merchant atul manufacturer in the towns of 
Peterborough, Franklin and Xortlifield. He after- 
ward bec.une a partner in the firm of Smith Bros, 
and Co. at St. Louis, Missouri, and went there to 
reside in 1836. lie retired from the firm in 1S49, ami 
thereafter, except for his connection as an officer or 
director, with bankinjj or railway corporations in 
which he was interested, he devoted most of his time, 
and much of his mone}', to educational, charitable, 
and churcli affairs, helping to establish in St. Louis 
the Unitarian Church, and the Mercantile Library. 
He was one of the corporators and a director ot 
Washington I'niversity, and for many ^-ears its 
treasurer. He was at the time of his death actively 
engaged in caring for the needy and suffering among 
the families of the S(ddiers in the civil war. Jane 
Cavender died at St. Louis, Dec. 5, 1858. John 
. Cavender died there Jan. 5, 1X6,1, in his sixty-seventh 
3'ear. They had three children, all l)orn in New 
Hampshire — John Smith, March 11, 1S24; Charles 
James. Jan. 29, 1828, and Robert Smith, Aug. 28, 
\SM. Charles died in his fourth year. Rolti-rt 
married Caroline M . Atwc^od of Alton; they had one 
child, a daughter, Hertie, who died in childhood. 
Robert died at Alton, March 28. 1900; his wife is 
still living. 



JOHN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 95 

John married Sept. 4, 1850, Mehetabel Chadwick; 
she died Nov. 1, 1850. He married again, July 25, 
1854, Lucinda W. Rogers, daughter of Luke Rogers 
of Stow, Massachusetts. He engaged in merchandiz- 
ing and manufacturing at St. Louis, and before 1860 
had retired, with what in those days was considered a 
competency. He was a member of the Missouri 
Legislature in 1860, and was elected State Senator for 
a term of four years in 1867. At the outbreak of the 
Civil War he raised a company and was mustered as 
Captain into the "First Regiment Missouri Volunteer 
Infantry," Frank P. Blair's Regiment. 

At Wilsons Creek (where General Nathaniel Lyon 
was killed), he was shot through the lungs and left 
for dead on the field. Recovering, he was made a 
major and his regiment changed from infantry to 
artillery. His batteries aided materially in the 
capture of Fort Donelson, and at Shiloh, where he 
commanded six batteries, they, with the division of 
W. H. L. Wallace and the remaining fragment of 
Prentiss' division, made the deadly " Hornets' Nest," 
so called by the Confederates, under Albert Sidney 
Johnston, who for eight hours of that Sabbath day 
vainly hurled themselves against it in desperate 
charges. 

After participating in the siege of Corinth, he 
went home, organized, and was made Colonel of the 
29th Missouri Infantry. His regiment, in the Army 



9fi JOli:, ...iTH AND nKSCKNDANTS. 

of the Tennessee, under Sherman, suffered terrible 
loss at Chickasaw Bayou. II<- mxl took part in the 
capture of Arkansas Post, January 11 U> \^, 1863. 

Learning of his father's death, which had occurred 
January 5, 1S63, he obtained leave and returned to 
St. I^^uis. 

Finding that his father's estate and his own affairs 
required his personal attention, he resigned from the 
army, February 19, 1S63. He was made a Brigadier 
General by brevet, for "gallant service at Donelson. 
Shiloh, Chickasaw Bayou, etc." 

After the war he re-engaged in business at St. 
Louis, and died there February 23, 1886. He was 
buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery. His wife and the 
lour children (all sons) born to thtm, still (19i>4) 
survive him. 

John Howard, born May 15, 1855, at Watertown, 
Massachusetts; James Sniitli, horn at St. Louis, Oct. 
11, 1862; Edward Rowse, born at vSt. Louis, Aug. 
30, 1864; and Harry Wales, born at St. Louis. Dec. 
1, 1871. Harry, living at vSt. Louis, is still (1904) 
unmarried. lulward, living at Denver, Colorado, 
married, Sept. 24, 1892, Alice Turner of that state. 
They have a daughter, Doris, born in July. 1S93. 
James, living in Denver, is still unmarried. John 
Howard, living at St. Louis, married. Dec. 7. 1876, 
KfTie H. Oreenleaf, daughter of ICugene L. Oreenleaf 
of that city. ICngaged lor many years in St. Louis in 



JOHN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 97 

the real estate business, and for the last twenty -five 
years enjoying the "pleasant pursuit of Book Collect- 
ing," he has now a library of some six thousand 
volumes. 

For about the same period he has served in the 
Missouri National Guard. At the outbreak of the 
Spanish War, he, on May 13, 1898, was mustered as 
Lieutenant Colonel of the First Missouri Vol. Inf'y, 
into the ser^uce of the United States. He was 
fortunate enough to be in command of his regiment 
through most of its service. Though well drilled and 
efficient, this regiment was made no use of, other than 
to be held in readiness at Camp Geo. H. Thomas, on 
the Chicamauga battle field, in Georgia. He with his 
regiment was mustered out Oct. 31, 1898. 

He has two children-John Howard, Junior, born 
at St. Louis, Dec. 23, 1877, and Lucile, born there, 
March 6, 1882. 

John Howard, Jr., married at St. Louis, December 
26, 1901, Blanche Phillippi. They have two chil- 
dren: John Howard, HL, born at Kansas City, 
Missouri, December 26, 1902, and Louis Phillippi' 
born there. May 12, 1904. 

Lucile, married at St. Louis, October 21, 1903, 
Albert Edward Bernet, whose business is flour 
milling in that city. They have a son, born July 
11, 1904. 



13 



98 JOHN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 

Robert, fifth chiKl of John Smith, was born at 
Peterborough, June 12, lS(i2. Upon the death of 
his brother John in KS2J, he took his place in the 
cotton factory at Xorthfiekl, and later went to 
Franklin. Ik- married, November 23, 1828, Sarah 
v. liinj^ham of Sanbornton, and in lSvi2 k-ft P'ranklin, 
going to live at Alton, Illinois. From 1S43 to 1849, 
he served three terms in Congress from that district. 
He was appointed Major and Paymaster during the 
Civil War, serving until obliged by ill health to 
resign. He was stationed most of the time in St. 
Louis. He died at Alton, December 21, 1867. His 
wife died there some years later. He was one of 
the most quiet of men. In his political campaigns 
he sought the face to face acquaintanceship of his 
constituents, and through his attractive and fascin- 
ating personality won and held the confidence and 
support of his district. They had two children, 
Robert Hingham. born Jul>' 31, 1S3S, and Sarah 
Hingham, born May 20, 1843. Robert married, 
February 28, 1861. Helen 1'. Child. The Smith 
singing voice appeared again in him, he having a 
fine tenor. He died at Chicago, July 28, 19ui). Ik- 
had <jnly one child, Ivarl Cavender Smith, born at 
Alton, Ai)ril 26, 1862. Ivarl married, Jtiiu- 14. l')03, 
Caroline H. Haagen of /\lton. They have no chil- 
dren. His mother is still living at Chicago. 



JOHN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 99 

Sarah Bingham married J. H. Mahony in 1890; 
she died without issue, at Chicago, September 26, 

1902. 

James, the sixth child of John Smith, was born 
at Peterborough, October 28, 1804. In 1829 he was 
a merchant in the city of New York. He married. 
May 15, 1832, Persis Garland of Franklin, N. H. ; 
and in 1833 joined his brother, William H., and his 
brother-in-law, John Cavender, in establishing at 
St. Louis the wholesale grocery house of Smith 
Brothers & Co. After the great fire there in 1849 
the firm dissolved partnership but the "Smith 
Brothers," in 1851 re-entered, with George Part- 
ridge, the same business, from which partnership 
both brothers withdrew and retired with a compe- 
tency in 1863. James continued to reside at St. 
Louis until his death which occurred at Hampton, 
N. H., Oct. 15, 1877. His wife died at St. Louis, 
Feb. 14, 1891. They had no children. James Smith 
was a republican in politics, and a staunch Union 
man during the Civil War, when it cost somethino- 
to avow Northern sentiments in St. Louis, which 
was on the border line between the North and the 
South, and where the Confederate element was stronc^ 
and aggressive. After he retired from business in 
1863, he became officially connected as Director with 
the Provident Savings Hank, Belcher Sugar Refining 
Company, St. Louis Gas Light Company, and the 



100 JOHN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 

Missouri State Mutual Insurance Company. His 
charities were many and generous. He was one of 
the orij^inal incorporators of Kliot Seminary at St. 
Louis, in 1S5.>, the name of which was afterwards 
chanRed to W'ashinj^ton rni\ersity. In its early 
years he Rave liberally to its sui)iK)rt. In 1S7.^ he 
endowed it with $70,000, and l)y his last will left 
one-half of his estate to Dr. \Vm. O. Kliot as trustee, 
for " Kducational, Charitable and Religious pur- 
poses." He gave to Washington University alone 
more than $250,000. He also gave to the Public 
Library of his native town a fund of $3000 for the 
purchase of books. Smith Academy, a branch of 
Washington I'niversity, was named for him. 

James Smith was a Unitarian in faith, and when 
Wm. G. Eliot arrived in St. Louis in 1834 to estab- 
lish there an Unitarian Society, he was one of the 
two persons to meet him at the steamboat landing 
and care for him. " From that day to this," said 
Dr. Hliot, late in life, "their homes (speaking of 
Christopher Rhodes and James Smith) have been 
niv home." He was one of the original members 
of the Church of the Messiah (Dr. Kliot's Society in 
St. Louis), and through his lung lik- was one of 
the largest contributors to its support and to the 
construction of the first two church buildings of the 
Society, one erected in 1836 and the second in 1M51. 
One who knew him well says that there was no 



JOHN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 101 

worthy charity or enterprise for the relief or care 
of the sick or destitute undertaken in St. Louis 
during his time which did not receive from him 
substantial support. 

Jeremiah, seventh child of John Smith, was born 
at Peterborough, October 1, 1806. He died there in 
his eleventh year, April 6, 1816. 

William Henry, eighth child of John Smith, was 
born at Peterborough, Dec. 26, 1808, going to 
Franklin to live in 1822. He remained there until 
1833, when he joined his brother James and John 
Cavender at St. Louis, entering into partnership with 
them. He married, Nov. 5. 1837, Lydia Pettingill, of 
Salisbury, N. H. She died without issue at St. 
Louis, February 10, 1841. He married for his second 
wife, Ellen Smith, daughter of Samuel Smith of 
Peterborough, September 13, 1843. They had four 
children, only one, William Eliot, living to maturity. 
Like his brother James, he was a benefactor of 
Washington University, donating the sum of $25,500 
to found a perpetual lecture fund, resulting in the 
" Smith lectures." 

Like his brother, also, he was a constant con- 
tributor to the support of the Church of the Messiah 
in St. Louis, and its various charitable and educa- 
tional enterprises. 

He gave $5000 toward the erection of the Public 
Library building in Peterborough, and was a frequent 



102 Jiill.N >M1TU AM) DKSCENDANTS. 

contrilnitor to niaiiy other charital)le objects of his 
native town. In liis lifetime he gave away fully 
one-lialf of all he ever possessed. As was said 
of his father, so it can be said of him: "With 
wisdom, purse, or hand, he w^as always ready to helj) 
his fellow men." 

In 1S63. he retired from business with ample 
means, going to Alton, where his brother Robert 
was then living, and building for himself a country 
home, with a fine view of the broad Mississippi 
River. Here he died, October 2nd, 1894, aged 
eighty -six years; and his wife, April 9, 1902. 

William Eliot Smith was born at St. Louis. 
December 31, 1844. He married Alice Cole at 
Alton, September 24, 1873. They have two unmar- 
ried daughters, Eunice Cole, born at Alton, March 
23, 1875, and Ellen Dean, born there. May 15, 1876. 
He is engaged in manufacturing at Alton, but no 
longer devotes his whole time to business. He is 
well able to afford and indulge his inherited love 
of travel. 

It seems now more than probable that with the 
death of those now living, the male line of William 
and Elizabeth Smith, through their son John, will 
fail. 



JAMES SMITH AND HIS DESCENDANTS. 

By Marcus Smith Thomas. 



It gives me pleasure to write of this man and his 
descendants, and when I promised to do so supposed 
it would be easy to trace them all. The task has 
been harder than anticipated. I am going to state as 
few dates as possible and give such an account of 
each as he or she has been or is to-day in actual life. 
None have been millionaires and not many particu- 
larly distinguished, but all have been energetic, useful 
citizens, making themselves respected and influential 
for the upbuilding of humanity wherever they have 
lived. 

James Smith, the son of William Smith, removed 
from Peterborough to Cavendish, Vt., about 1790, 
where he lived the rest of his life, dying August 11th,' 
1842. In ability and intelligence he was second to 
none of his brothers and held many positions of honor 
and trust at the gift of his fellow citizens. He was a 
Justice of the Peace for many years, filled different 
town offices and was a member of the Legislature of 
Vermont for thirteen successive terms. His wife was 



104 JA>ii,> >Mrni AM) DKSCENDANTS. 

Sally Ames, whom he married Dec. M, 1791. She 
died May 16, 1833. Sally, his oldest child, who 
lived to reach maturity, married James Walker, Esq., 
an eminent lawyer of Peterborough, May 13, 1819. 
She has been described as a woman of rare beauty 
and excellence of character, and was the favorite 
niece of her uncle Jeremiah Smith. She died at 
Peterborough, August 26, 1842. 

Of the marriage three children were born : James 
Smith Walker, who died at the age of twenty, while 
a student with his brother George in Yale College; 
George, born April 1, 1824, died Jan. 15, 1888; and 
Ariana Smith, named for her mother's cousin, the 
daughter af Judge Smith, born Nov. 8, 1829, died 
Aug. 31, 1854. All were born at Peterborough in the 
Carter house on the hill overlooking the valley of the 
Contoocook, near which stream Mr. Walker built his 
own house. The sons fitted for college at Exeter. 
George, after the death of his brother, graduated at 
Dartmouth, and studied law at Harvard, beginning 
active practice at Chicopee in 1846, where he was 
counsel for the Cabot Bank, which lent much money 
to John Hrown before he went to Kansas, a fact which 
led to the introduction of Brown by George Walker 
to I*. H. vSanborn of the State Kansas conunittee in 
1857. In 1849 (Oct. 24), (ieorge married Sarah 
Dwight Bliss, only daughter of George Bliss. Esq., t.t 
Springfield, Mass., where he then continued to prac- 



JAMES SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 105 

tice law until after the Civil War. He was a colonel 
of the staff of Gov. Banks in 1858, and for a year a 
member of the Senate, before being appointed a Bank 
Commissioner of Massachusetts, in which office he 
served during the war and afterwards. He was sent 
to Europe on a financial mission by Gov. Andrew in 
1865, again by Secretary Sherman in 1880, and for 
seven years was consul-general of the United States 
at Paris. He had but lately resigned that office, and 
gone to practice law in Washington, when he died 
there, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. He was a 
student all his life, an accomplished man, and of the 
most amiable character. His living children are 
Louisa Dwight, James Smith, Philip and Ariana, both 
daughters unmarried. Philip has a son George and 
a daughter Mary, born at Washington. 

Ariana was educated at Exeter, Peterborough and 
Keene, with a few lessons at Tyngsboro and Boston, 
but became an invalid at sixteen, and completed 
her studies at home and in Boston, with her dear 
friend Ednah Littlehale, older than herself. She 
had that indefinable gift of genius, and through 
that a knowledge of books and of society which, 
joined to an attractive presence and great sweetness 
of character, with noble aspirations and tender 
sympathies, made her beloved by all who knew 
her. Her health was never fully restored, yet in 
her invalid condition she accomplished much, and 



106 JAMES SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 

made many friends. To the dearest of these, F. B. 
Sanborn, slie was for years united in the closest 
affection, and at hist married, in the near prospect 
of death from consumption. August 23, 1854, at her 
father's house in Peterborough. At her request, 
she was buried in the beautiful cemetery of Spring- 
field, where her l)i()ther and his wife have graves 
beside her. 

James, the oldest son of James, has the most 
living descendants. He represented Cavendish, Vt., 
in the Legislature and afterwards removed to 
Schoolcraft, Michigan. He married Betsy Brown of 
Plymouth, Vt. She died May 11th, 1841, and he 
died February 4, 1842. Of his l.-.rge family of chil- 
dren three survived to maturity, and two are still 
living — Sarah, who married Willard Flagg, and 
Marcia, who married Nathaniel D. Thomas. Betsy, 
the elder of the three, married Norman C. Eigelow 

of Cavendish, April 20, 1845, died leaving two 

children: Frank Bigelow of Rutland. \'t.. who 
travels for the American Agricultural Chemical 
Comi)any. He is a genial man with many friends, 
is niarrifd and has daughters. Belle, the other 
child of Betsy Bigelow, married lo Willis Spaulding, 
who live on the uUl family homestead of James 
Smith in Cavendish. They carry on a da'ry, and 
make a large quantity of maple sugar every year. 
They have five ch Idren, four boys and a girl. 



JAMES SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 107 

Sarah Flagg, above named, lives on the Flagg 
homestead near Alton, Illinois. Her husband is 
dead and his widow carries on the farm. Her oldest 
daughter. Belle, married Ozias Hatch, in the real 
estate business. They have one son. Mrs. Flagg's 
second daughter, Mary, married Edward Gillum, a 
farmer, Edwardsville, Illinois. They have three 
children. Norman, the only son of Mrs. Flagg, is 
married and lives on the home farm near Alton. He 
has two daughters. He is prominent in the grange, 
being lecturer in the Edwardsville branch of the 
organization, is active in politics and one of the 
Republican Supervisors of the County. 

Marcia Thomas— fifth child of James, resides in 
the village of Decatur, Michigan. They were farmers 
through their active life but have now retired. They 
have four children living, all married except the 
eldest daughter, Jessie. She was a teacher for many 
years but now lives with her parents at home. 

Their oldest son, 3-our essayist, is a farmer, his 
specialty being the dairy. Living in the fruit belt he 
has paid much attention to that branch of industry, 
his specialty being the cultivation of the grape. 
Married and has two children, a son and daughter. 
He has been active in public affairs, is a member of 
the village Council, of both boards of review for the 
assessments of township and village, and has served 
eight years on the Republican Township Committee, 



108 JAMES il \ND nKSCKNDANTS. 

also Secretar>' of the Decatur Creamery Company and 
Lecturer for the Decatur Grange. 

Wilhinl Flaj^ij. third sou of Marcia, lives in 
Traverse City, ^Iichi^^^n. He married Nellie Clapp, 
and thry have three children. Their dauj^hter 
graduated from the Ilij^h School in June and will 
follow teaching. The two boys are still in the 
High School. Mr. Klagg is a contractor and builder, 
also Superintendent of the Methodist Sunday School, 
numbering 325 scholars. 

May, the youngest daughter of Marcia, married 
Harry Ballard. He is a farmer and lives in Xiles, 
Michigan. They have one son. 

John Smith, fifth child of James, died April 20, 
1839, aged twenty -six years. He married Xancy 
Willard and lived at St. Josephs, Michigan, left one 
child, still living, residence unknown. 

William Smith, the third son of James, lived at 
Cavendish, Vermont. He was born July 31, 1800, 
and lived in Cavendish until 18S8. when he went to 
reside with his son, and died April, 1891, at the age 
of 91. He fitted for college and entered Dartmouth, 
but was compelled to leave at the end of two years on 
account of an affection of the eyes. After leaving 
college he was for some years engaged in the manu- 
facture of potato starch, but afterwards went into 
wool maintfacturing at Proctorville, a village in tlic 
town of Cavendish. On account dI tli- dejjressed 



JAMES SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 109 

condition of the industry, he retired from this 
business just prior to the Civil War. In all move- 
ments for the social and industrial betterment of 
the conmunity, he had an active part. He was 
Selectman, did an extensive probate business, repre- 
sented his town in the Legislature for two terms and 
for forty -four years was a Justice of the Peace. He 
was also a Director in the National Bank, a Trustee of 
the Public Library and was one of the founders of the 
Universalist Church in Cavendish. William Smith 
was a lover of books and a great reader, and accumu- 
lated for a man in his occupation a large library. 
Prosperous as a business man for many years, when 
reverses came he exhibited the same calmness and 
serenity as when fortune smiled. In this he resem- 
bled his Uncle Jeremiah who said, "I think my path 
is in* allowing myself to be happy in the way 
Providence pleases, and not in insisting or choosing 
the way and manner for myself." He had in a 
marked degree the salient family traits and his 
geniality, cheerfulness, his warm, loving heart and 
his inteiested service for others made his home a 
magnet which drew all his friends and relatives to it 
and to him. Summer after summer his hospitable 
home was filled with guests to its utmost capacity and 
when he passed away at the ripe old age of ninety-one 
the world seemed poorer without him. Oct. 6, 1828, 
he married Rhoda Bates, by whom he had one 



ni"» JAMI< ^\!! 



! NDANTS. 



child — Rhoda, who married Franklin Rice, a promi- 
nent merchant of Boston. Mrs. Rice died leaving 

one daughter, Frances Mary, surviving who married 
I>r. William vStillman of Albany, New York, where 
she now resides. Date of marriage, 18X0. They have 
no children. Mrs. Smith died Aug. 8, 1844. For 
a second wife Mr. Smith married Mrs. Isabella 
(Proctor) Page, by whom he had three children— 
Addison, Fallen and William, the last of whom oidy 
now survives. Addison died j-oung and Kllen 
deceased at the age of twenty -three years. She 
inherited her father's gentle, magnetic personality. 
An invalid for many years she retained her buoyant 
courageous spirit through all her weakness and 
suffering to the end. Rhoda— Mrs. Rice — had the 
same strong, sweet nature and her character is best 
summed up in the notice of her death published in a 
•leading Boston paper: "The gentle life which has 
just come to an end was one of peculiar beauty. 
The serene, cheerful nature, the loving lieart, the 
helpful hand drew to her young and old alike. Her 
symj)athies did not grow cold with years. Hut while 
in outside interests her practical hand and loving 
sympathy will be missed, it is in her home where the 
loss will be most profoundly felt. She was jire- 
eniinently domestic and the memory <.f her temler 
solicitutle and watchful affection for those nearest 
and dearest to her will be above their consolation 
and their grief." 



JAMES SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. HI 

William, the youngest son, is Assistant Treasurer 
of the Savings Bank at Springfield, Vermont, and in 
character and standing is a worthy inheritor of the 
old and familiar family name. Jan. 19, 1887, he 
married Flora A. Brown, of Plymouth, Vt. They 
have no children. 

To recapitulate, there are now living, of the 
descendants of James Smith, the son of Wm. Smith, 
thirty-nine, namely: descendants of Sally (Smith) 
Walker, six; James Smith (son), thirty: William 
Smith (son), two; John Smith (son), one. The 
branch of Joseph Addison (son of James) is extinct 
Much more could be said of those who have 
passed away, for all left traces along their way 
that helped make the world better for their havincr 
lived "" 

It is with many regrets that I am unable to be 
present at the Reunion, and so I must send this 
paper to be read by another. I should like to hear 
the other addresses and meet the Cousins, but 
circumstances forbid. I hope the gathering will be 
so successful that a permanent organization will be 
formed, and that our children and our children's 
children will come to know more fully that to be 
descended from William Smith of Peterborough is 
something in which they can all take pride 



JEREMIAH SMITH. 
liY Jkkkmiah Smith. I.I,. I). 



(From McClinlocks History of New Hampshire: pp. 4S1-48?.) 

Jeremiah Smith, the son of William ami Klizabeth 

(Morison) Smith, was horn at Peterl)oiou«;h, X. H., 

Nov. 29, 17.'>9. III.' early developed great desire for 

learning; sometimes walking miles to a place where 

he heard there was a book. When seventeen years of 

age he enlisted for a short term in the Revolutionary 

Army, and was present at the battle of Bennington, 

where he was slightly wounded. In 1777 he entered 

Harvard College. After remaining there two j'ears, 

he removed to Queens (now Rutgers) College in 

New Jersey, where he graduated in 17M0. He was 

admitted ti) the bar in 17S6, and opened an office in 

his father's farm-house at Peterborough. In 1788, 

1789 and 1790 he was a member of the legislature, 

and was chairman of the committee which prepared 

the draft of the revised statutes enacted in 1791. He 

was a member of the constitutional convention of 

1791, and took a i)rominent part in its ])roceedings. 

Ill December, 1790, he was elected a member of the 

second Congress of the United .States . and was 



JEREMIAH SMITH. 113 

re-elected to the third, fourth, and fifth Congresses. 
In Congress he was a supporter of Washington's 
administration; and, when the inevitable division into 
parties came, he joined the Hamiltonian Federalists. 

In July, 1797, he resigned his seat in Congress, 
accepted the appointment of United States district 
attorney for New Hampshire, and removed to Exeter, 
which continued to be his home until within a few 
months of his death. In 1880 he was appointed 
Judge of Probate for the county of Rockingham, and 
it was probably at this time that he composed an 
elaborate treatise on probate law, which still exists in 
manuscript. In February, 1801, he was appointed 
by President Adams a Judge of the newly established 
U. S. Circuit Court, which was abolished a year later. 

In 1802 he was appointed Chief Justice of the 
Superior Court of New Hampshire, and served 
until 1809, when he became Governor. Failing a 
re-election as Governor, he returned to the bar in 
1810, but left it in 1813 to take the position of Chief 
Justice of the Supreme Court established in that 
year. Upon the abolition of this court in 1816 he 
returned once more to the bar, where he was associ- 
ated with Mason and Webster as counsel in the 
Dartmouth College case. 

In 1820 or 1821 Judge Smith withdrew from 
active practice, and passed the remaining years of 
his life chiefly at his beautiful home in Exeter, still 



114 JKRKMI.MI SMITH. 

continuing to be a purchaser and reader of law- 
books, and an indefatigable student of general 
literature. In these years he was never idle. In 
addition to his legal and literary studies he gave 
much time to financial and educational trusts; 
serving as President ol the ICxeter Hank, and as 
Treasurer, and President of the Board of Trustees 
of Phillips Exeter Academy. 

In the spring of 1842 he removed to Dover, N. 
H., where he died September 21, 1842. 

The most important public service rendered by 
Judge Smith was that performed by him as Chief 
Justice of New Hamp.'-hire. Before his time the 
administration of the law in this State was exceed- 
ingly unsystematic, not to say chaotic. A lively 
sketch of the old slate of things may be found in 
the life of Governor Plumer, pages 149-159 and 
181-184. Many of the Judges of the highest court 
bad received no legal education. Two of the three 
Associate Justices at the date of Judge Smith's 
appointment were clergymen. It cannot be doubted 
that the ciedil of "bringing order out of chaos" 
belongs to Judge Smith more than to any other one man. 
" T(j him," said Mr. Mason, "the Slate is greatly, 
if not chiefly, indebted for the i)resent more orderly 
proceedings, and better administration of justice." 
"With him." said Chief Justice Parkt-r. "there 
aro.>>e a new onler ol things." Chief Justice Charles 



JEREMIAH SMITH. 115 

Doe (in Vol. 49, New Hampshire Reports, p. 604) 
alludes to the "inestimable labors of Chief Justice 
Smith, who found the law of New Hampshire, in 
practice and administration, a chaos, and who left 
It comparatively an organized and scientific system." 
"When I came to the bar," wrote Mr. Webster to 
Chancellor Kent, "he was Chief Justice of the 
State. It was a day of the gladsome light of 
jurisprudence. ... He knows everything about 
New England, having studied much of its history 
and its institutions; and as to the law, he knows 
so much more of it than I do, or ever shall, that 
I forbear to speak on that point." 

The practice of reporting the decisions in print 
did not begin in this State until after Judge Smith 
had left the bench; and consequently none of his 
opinions are to be found in the regular series of 
New Hampshire Reports. A volume selected from 
his manuscript decisions was published in 1879, and 
is commonly cited as "Smith's New Hampshire 
Reports." But these decisions, though praised by 
competent authorities, cannot give the present 
generation a fair idea of the worth of Judge Smith's 
judicial labors. His most valuable work, that of 
systematizing the practice and administering the law 
upon scientific principles, is something which cannot 
be fully delineated on paper or in print. 

Any sketch of Judge Smith would be incomplete 



116 "t'l \' 1 Ml SMITH. 

if it faileil to mention the hiy;h estimate generally 
formed of his conversational powers. ( )m this point 
it will l)e snfficient to cite the testimony of Mr. 
Webster, given near the close of his own life, after 
opportunity for converse with the hest talkers of 
Kngland as well as America. "Jeremiah Smith," 
wrote Mr. Webster in 1849, "was perhaps the best 
talker I have been acquainted with; he was full of 
knowledge of books and men, had a great deal of 
wit and humor, and abhorred silence as an intolerable 
state of existence." 

A Memoir of Judge Smith, by his kinsman. Rev. 
John II. Morison, was published in 1845. 

Wii,Li.\M Smith.— Son of Hon. Jeremiah Smith 
and Ivli/.a (Ross) Smith; born, ICxeter, August 31, 
1799; Harvard College, 1817; admitted, 1820; prac- 
ticed. Kxeter; died. Centerville. .Mi.ssissippi, March 
29. 18.30. 

Mr. Smith received his early education at the 
Phillips I{xeter Academy. He went into his father's 
office as a student, and in 1S20 became a practicing 
attorney in Kxeter. Horn to position and abundance, 
he lacked some of the most i>owerfnl incentives to 
exertion, and never chained hinjself to the oar of 
the law. JUit he possessed popular and brilliant 
(pjalities, and in jxiliiics and literature early made 
himself a position. He was chosen a Representative 
in the State I.esislature in 1S22, while he was in his 
twenty-third year, and again in 182.^ and 1824. 



JEREMIAH SMITH. 117 

He wrote with ability and point. He delivered 
several addresses on public occasions, and published 
a pamphlet on the "Toleration Act of 1819," and 
another on the "Assassination of Julius Csesar," 
besides many articles in the journals of the day. His 
taste for historical study induced him to collect 
materials for a history of the town of his nativity, 
which was interrupted by his ill health. Though 
probably not enamored of the law, he did enough in 
it to prove that he was no degenerate son of his 
distinguished father. 

In the spring of 1828 he was attacked by pulmon- 
ary disease. The winter of 1829-30 he was ordered 
to a warmer climate, but for him there was no healing 
virtue in the Southern breezes. To the great grief of 
his friends, he never again saw his home. The indis- 
cretions of his youth never for a moment obscured 
the admiration of those who best knew him for his 
brilliant talents and manly character. He died 
unmarried. [From Gov. Bell's "Bench and Bar of 
New Hampshire," page 651.] 

Ariana Elizabeth, daughter of Jeremiah and Kliza 
(Ross) Smith, was born at Exeter, Dec. 28, 1797, 
and died there on June 20, 1829. 

While her life affords no striking incidents, this 
fact that she possessed unusual attractions is attested 
by the unanimous voice of the best people among her 
contemporaries. A perfect daughter, a perfect sister; 



lis JKRKMIAir SMITH. 

pre-eniiiiciit for beauty of person, strenj^lh of niiiul, 
ami l)t.aiit_\- of character: such was the impression 
made upon those who knew her well. 

Her life ami character are fully delineated in 
Rev. Dr. Morison's Memoir of Judj.(e vSmith; and 
an appreciative sketch of her, written by her kins- 
woman, Mrs. Annie Wilson Fiske, is contained in 
the book entitled "Worthy Women of Our First 
Centurv." 



HANNAH SMITH BARKER AND HER 
DESCENDANTS. 

By Andrew Jewett. 



Mr. President, Relatives and Friends: 

We have all had a most enjoyable day thus far. 
For one I can say, I never knew before that I had so 
many distinguished relations as I have met here 
to-day. 

After this, I shall feel at perfect liberty to let ray 
pride go out to its fullest extent when I think that we 
all belong to the most famous branch of the Smith 
family. 

We have relished the ladies' bountiful and hospi- 
table repast, and have thus far enjoyed "the feast of 
reason and flow of soul," provided for us. 

When I saw the list of addresses for the after- 
noon, I was reminded of one of those layer cakes, or 
w'hatever you ladies call it, that we sometimes buy at 
the baker's. They have such a beautiful upper and 
under part, but in the middle they put some of the 
filling that— well, the less said about it the better. 



l^U HANNAH >M1TH HAKKKK AND DKSCKNDANTS. 

The program announces that I am to tell you 
aV)out Hannah Smith Harker and her descendants, 
and that, too, after my telliui? cousin Jonathan Smith, 
in the most emphatic manner, that I kntw nothing 
about them that any of you would care to hear. 

It seems my statement did not haoe any effect 
upon him. but you will all see now what kind of 
filling he has put in his cake. 

Hannah Smith Barker was a woman of large and 
commanding appearance, tipping the scales at more 
than two hundred pounds. In early life, while 
working in wet flax, she contracted a cold which 
settled in one of her limbs, causing a lameness which 
followed her through life. She had such energy of 
character that she did not allow an infirmity like that 
to lessen her activity or her vivacity of manner. 

She was married to John Harker, of Rindge, N. 
H., Dec. 7, 1795, and went there to live. She must 
have had a home of unusual elegance, for that day. 
Considerable of her furniture has been preserved. 
One of her silver teaspoons, engraved "II. S." and 
several after-dinner coffee cups have also come down 

to us. 

She was very fond of her relatives, and the young 
people spent much tinu- with her. When she and 
her sister I\li/al)eth were together at one time, one of 
the nephews was asked which of his aunts he liked 
the best. He said, "he didn't want to tell, for if he 
did Hetty would be mad." 



HANNAH SMITH BARKER AND DESCENDANTS. 121 

She died in 1813, leaving a daughter, Hannah of 
twelve, and a son, John, less than nine. The years 
were few in which to inculcate principles of a high 
moral nature in minds so young, but so strong was 
her personality that she impressed the ideas and 
traditions of her family in living characters upon 
their lives. The religion she had received from her 
parents, she gave to her children. We have heard 
our mother say that she was required to recite a 
chapter from the Bible, and one of Watts' hymns 
every Sunday. 

In her home they kept Sunday religiously, from 
Saturday night till Monday morning. I,ike her 
ancestors, she always adhered to her faith in the 
trinity. This idea has been brought down to the 
present da}'. 

Ill material affairs, the most prominent idea with 
her was the honorablent-ss of work. This could not 
have been theory, merely, with her. She must have 
been a very industrious woman from the great amount 
of linen she had, whicli she spun and wove herself. 

She used to say of her young daughter, " If I 
live and Hannah lives, Hannah shall be taught to 
work, so, if she needs to in life, she will know how. 
If she is ever situated so it is not necessary-, it will be 
very easy to leave off. ' ' Wise woman ! She builded 
better than she knew when she put dignity of labor 
as the corner stone of temporal prosperity. Many of 

16 



122 HANNAH SMITH BARKKR AND DESCENDANTS, 

her descendants have risen to call her blessed in 
times of adversity, wlu-n that iiUa wn*; their chief 
snpport. 

The orator of to-day, shows us in his "Home of 
the Smith Family," that this desire for work is a 
family characteristic. 

The Frenchman, Guyot. in his geography, which 
was used in our public schools thirty years ago, said, 
"The American people appear to love work." He 
had probably come in contact with, or had heard a 
good deal about our branch of the Smith family before 
he wrote his geography. 

As we have said, Hannah Smith Barker died 
when her daughter was only twelve years old. So 
successful had been her lessons to "little Hannah." 
that at her death, the father considered his daughter 
qualified to take her mother's place in the home, and 
perform all the many duties of farm life, and be a 
mother to her younger brother. It has been said by 
those who knew her, that she did not disappoint the 
father's expectations, for she took most excellent care 
of the home for several years, until a new mother 
came into the family t)nly a short time before her 
father's accidental death. 

Have any of us who are here to-day a daughter 
of only twelve of whom we could .safely ex})ect as 
much as that ? 



HANNAH SMITH BARKER AND DESCENDANTS. 123 

After the new mother came and took the burden 
from her shoulders, she was sent to a boarding 
school at Keene. She had already shown a talent 
for music. While at school there, she developed a 
marked taste for drawing. In later life, her literary, 
mechanical, and even inventive gifts were of no mean 
order. 

In society she was social and very popular with 
the young people. She had inherited from her 
Scotch ancestry their repression of feelings to such 
an extent that it was difficult for the young men 
to know how to gain her favor. 

One of her jovial uncles used to sa}^ to her, 
"Hannah, if any young man should ever wish to 
make any advances to you, he would have to com- 
mence by sa^'ing, ' I hate you, Hannah; I hate you, 
Hannah.' " Just how the first love advances that 
gained her favor were made we know as little as 
of many of the good deeds of her ancestors. We 
know this, that after she had daughters grown to 
womanhood, the favorite cousin on- her father's side, 
whom she had not seen for years, came to visit her. 
At the sight of him, all her Scotch reserve came back, 
and he had to say to her, before those grown 
daughters, "Kiss me, Hannah." She never heard 
the last of the incident from them. Not all the young 
ladies in these days would require such an exhorta- 
tion, under similar circumstances. 



1J4 HANNAH SMITH BARKKR AND DESCKNDANTS. 

During the ft-w years between her father's secoiul 
luaniage and her own, she was greatly sought after 
by her large number of cousins on both sides, and 
spvnt niucli time here in Pett-rboro. 

When she spent a winter at her uncle's, Jeremiah 
Smith, at Exeter, it was a source of great regret to 
ht-r uncle's wife that she did not know how to dance. 

When she went frtiui there to Concord, N. H., to 
visit cousins on her father's side, tliej' expressed the 
same regret. To please them she took lessons in 
dancing, and was said to have become very proficient. 

When she married and went back to Rindge to 
live, she had no more use for her new found graces, 
for everybody there frowned upon dancing. Some of 
the young wags of the time said it was because the 
minister, Mr. Burnham, was lame and could not 
dance himstlf and thought it was wrong for anyone 
else to do it. 

June 7, 1825, she was married to Stephen Jewett. 
At Ikt marriage she went into one of those stern 
Puritan families, where I suj)pose they wt-re as 
adverse to making any demonstration of their feelings 
as is the Sphinx oi ICgypt. We luivc in> (lucstion 
but she w;is able to match her mother-in-law and 
her sisters-in-law in that direction. Whether she 
ever kissed any ol her babies or not I do not know. 
I know I never received any without begging for 
them, unless I was going away for an unusual length 



HANNAH SMITH BARKER AND DESCENDANTS. 125 

of time or when I returned from a prolonged absence. 

Kleven children came to brighten the home. 
Eight or whom lived to manhood and wominhood. 

She was blessed with the most genial and hospita- 
ble of husbands. Nothing pleased him more than to 
have their home filled with guests. In the "good old 
summer time," we have known her family for weeks 
together to -consist of as many as twenty -four or 
more. At their home the " latch string" was always 
out. 

It is hardly necessary to say that she had little 
time or strength left to develop the gifts bestowed 
upon her so lavishly. 

She moved to Fitchburg in November, 1856, and 
lived there till her death, Dec. 21, 1872. Her 
brother, John Barker, went to New York in May, 
1827. He was married May 10, 1830, to Eunice G. 
Thompson, of Montville, Conn. She died Aug. 9, 
1842, leaving three children, one having died before 
the mother. 

His second marriage to Harriet Eliza Gra}', took 
place Sept. 5, 1843. She died July 14, 1873, leaving 
six children. She had mourned the loss of three 
during her life. 

Of his life in New York, during the earlj^ days, we 
have not been able to learn as the oldest son is not 
living and the two older daughters are in the West. 
We know he was in several liaes of mercantile 



12t> HANNAH >.MITH HARKER AND DESCENDANTS. 

business. We heard him say once, that thiring this 
part of his life fire visited his i)lace of business eight 
limes. Kach 6re commenced in some adjoining store 
or building. This was in the days before the great 
conflagrations which have swept so many of the 
larger cities of this country during our generation. 
In those days peojjle were not up to the danger of 
having their insurance policies so large that the 
friction of them would be liable to set their buildings 
on fire. His fires usually struck him with little or no 
insurance. The result was that he had an excellent 
chance to start new in life several times, with only 
his hands, his brains, atul the teachings received from 
his noble mother before he was nine years old. After 
the eighth fire, we believe lie came to the conclusion 
that mercantile life was not the thing for him and he 
then went into the freight department of the Harlem 
railroad. He was there for a good many years. 

In the spring of isr.9, he moved to Starke, 
Bradford County, Florida, to take his chances in 
the then expected rise in land valuations. He 
struck the land where freezes come just when you 
think Dame Nature is about to shower riches upon 
you, but his expectations were not to be realized 
here. It was his strong religious faith that sustained 
him through all the trying days of his life. 

He has now gone to his eternal home, with a 
better chance for a reward than some ol those who 



HANNAH SMITH BARKER AND DESCENDANTS. 127 

have, or will leave, millions behind them. He was 
the father of thirteen children, seven of whom are 
now living. He died Aug. 10, 1882. 

There are fifty -one descendants of Hannah Smith 
Barker now living 

It is a grand thing that Hannah Smith Barker's 
religious teachings and her precepts of the blessed- 
ness of work have come down to this generation. 
They have been a support to her children's children, 
in helping them to fight the great moral and social 
battles of life. Her descendants have always been 
taught never to shrink from any duty or opportunity 
for usefulness, no matter how exacting or disagreeable 
it might be. 

It is our earnest hope that at least one among the 
generations represented here to-day may be able to 
exemplify her teachings until they have achieved 
such a victory that someone will be able to stand 
here at a family reunion fifty or one hundred years 
from now, and gladly and proudly relate the story. 



JONATHAN SMITH AND HIS 

DESCENDANTS. 

liv Mks. Ci.aka F. Hass. 

(The account here Eiven of Jountlinn Smith is princiiially taken from 
the "History o( rctcrborouuh" and "The Home ol the Smiths. ") 

Jonathan, the eighth child and sixth son of 
William and Kli/abeth Morison Smith, was born 
on this hill in 1763, amid the surroundiny;s and 
under the influence which immediately followed the 
first bitter strugjjle of the early settlers against the 
forces of nature. 

His father and mother had come to an almost 
unbroken wilderness, had endured hardships, jiri- 
vations and dangers which to us seem incompre- 
hensible. Hut the first extreme harshness of this 
battle with the elements, with sickness, exposure 
and all the obstacles which the first settlers encoun- 
tered was in a measure passed wh'-n Jonathan came 
of age. 

His father had settled ui)on tht- home farm some 
ten years jirevious to Jonathan's birth. During his 
boyhood the log cabin was r<-i)laced by a one-story 
frame house, which in turn gave place ti) the two- 



JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 129 

Story building whose frame still shelters his direct 
descendants. 

The sheds and barns were also erected at about 
this time. The first doctor settled in Peterborough 
in 1763, the first minister in 1766, the first store was 
opened about 1770. 

Before Jonathan came of age the farm had been 
largely cleared, much of the land cultivated and some 
of the stone walls we see all about us had been built. 

Bearing their share of the toil, always bus}' 
helping in small ways at first, and later with the 
heavier work, Jonathan and his brothers were brought 
up in the establishment and development of the farm. 

They grew up in an atmosphere and amid sur- 
roundings well fitted to develop sturdiness and rigid 
integrity of character. Before them they had the 
example of their mother, a woman of such strong 
character, stern truthfulness combined with natural 
piety, that it could not fail to leave an indelible mark 
on the minds and lives of her children. 

Their father was much respected by all the 
members of this community. He was a man of 
sound judgment and broad sympathy. His advice 
and help was sought by his neighbors and by the 
town on all important questions. 

Truthfulness, godliness, unremitting industry and 
thrift were some of the qualities which were ever kept 
before Jonathan during his boyhood. He was not 

17 



130 JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 

only taught these iiriiitiples in school and at church, 
but was shown how to live tlieni every day and every 
hour. 

He wa> liiou>;lii iij) in the atmosphere of men of 
action, men who were accomplishing things, men 
who had hut recently jjcnetrated and settled this new 
country, men who had cleareil farms, built homes; 
raised, fed and i)rotected large families and who a 
little later bore their full share of the burdens and 
hardships of the war of the Revolution. 

Jonathan Smith received his education in the 
schools of the town. He was fond of reading and 
l)y this means and in the bfoader school of experi- 
ence he continued his education throughout his life. 
Particularly fond of theological treatises and sermons, 
he became remarkably well informed on the religious 
questions of his day. Throughout his life he was 
one (A the most active ant! prominent members of 
the Church. In 1799 he was chosen to the office 
of Deacon, and served in that capacity until his 
death in 1S4J. Father and son serving together 
for some years. 

Jonathan was chosen to carry on the home farm 
and to take care of his jiarents in their old age. 
This obligation U> the jiassing generation he fulfilled 
creditably and thoroughly. Public and church affairs 
also entered largely into his life, lie was Selectman 
for six years, and returnetl l«> tlu- I^egislature nine 



< 
o 

S, 
O 

z 

w 
•< 

o 

JO 




JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 131 

times. He was prominent in the movement which 
led to the establishment in Peterborough of the first 
Free Public I^ibrary in the world. 

In 1792 Jonathan Smith married his first cousin 
Nancy, daughter of John Smith. She was a quiet, 
dignified and gentle woman, a thrifty housewife and 
good mother. Their tastes appear to have been 
congenial and the home life on the farm during 
this generation presents many attractive features. 
The family had prospered, harmony reigned. The 
children were being educated and brought to their 
home many new ideas and inspirations. Tlieir father 
loved books and often used to read aloud. His 
sympathetic and genial character made Elm Hill 
the meeting place of the friends and relatives. 
Here these men who knew how to think indepen- 
dently and argue logically assembled and discussed 
the important questions of the day whether religious, 
political, economic or social. 

Thus Elm Hill became one of those centers which 
made the New England town meeting famous. Such 
discussions of public questions by men of the calibre 
of Jonathan Smith and his brothers helped largely 
to raise the art of government by town meeting to 
the height of effectiveness, intelligence and honesty 
which it held during the early history of New 
England. 



132 JONATHAN SMITH AND DKSCKNDANTS. 

Jonathan Smith died in 1S4J. Of his eleven 
children ei^ht survived him. 

Klizabeth Smith, usually called Betsy, the oldest 
child of Jonathan and Nancy Smith, was born 
February 3, 1795. 

She married, in 1S19. John Gordon of Peter- 
borough, and moved to Hamilton, Illinois, in 1831, 
where the familv still live. Miss Gordon, her 
granddaughter writes: " I have often heard my father 
tell of their jcmrney to Illinois. They traveled by 
stage from Peterborough to Schenectady, then by 
Erie Canal to Buffalo, by wagons to Pittsburg, then 
down the Ohio and up tlie Mississippi by boat; the 
journey took twenty -eight days. Their household 
goods went via Xew Orleans and were three months 
in reaching their destination." Mrs. Gordon died 
August 12, 1845. There were two children. 
Jonathan, died in 1S37, aged 17 years. 
Samuel, born 1825, at Peterborough. He was six 
years old when he accompanied his parents on 
that long journey to Illinois. He married Miss 
Parmelia Alvord of Hamilton. .\t the brt-aking 
out of the Civil War Mr. Gordon joined Com- 
pany "C" lis, Illinois X'olunteers, and served 
three years. Of his services we have just heard 
from John Stearns Smiih. He was Clerk of 
the Township fourteen years, member oi the 
School Hoard twenty years. City Clerk two 



JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 133 

years, City Treasurer six 3'ears, member of the 
City Council four years. The esteem in which 
he was held by his townsmen is shown by the 
offices he filled. Samuel Gordon died October 
6, 1901. Six children survive him. 

1. Rev. Elinor Elizabeth, a Unitarian Minister in 

the West. 

2. John A., in business in Hamilton, married Miss 

Nettie Goodnough; they have five children. 
Avis, a student in the State University of Iowa. 
Bessie is a jeweler, her father's assistant. 
Three j^ounger boys are still in the Hamilton 
Public Schools. 

3. Alice A., who has been an invalid for twenty 

years. 

4. Agnes C, has always been the caretaker and 

home maker. 

5. Robert Smith, entered the service of the Wabash 

Railroad at the age of seventeen and is still in 
the same office. He married, in 1903, Miss 
Laura .Bridges, and has built a house close to 
the old Gordon Homestead. 

6. Mabel B., is a teacher in the Hamilton Public 

Schools. 

Jonathan Smith, the second child and eldest son 
of Jonathan and Nancy Smith, was born in 1797. 

He possessed perhaps the best mind and most 
brilliant prospect of all the members of his immediate 



134 JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 

family. Chosen by his parents lo j^o lo colleKtr he 
graduated from Harvanl in 1S19, studied law and 
settled iji Hath, X. li. lie was a man of clear, 
incisive mind and of marked ability. He rose rapidly 
in his profession and at an early age became one of 
the leaders of the New Hampshire bar. His career 
was cut short by his death in 1S4U of consumption. 
He married Hannah P. Pay^on, daughter of Moses 
P. Payson. of Bath, and left three children. 
1. Moses Payson, who married Catherine, daughter 
of Dr. Albert Smith of Peterborough. She died 
at Newark. Ohio. There are three children of 
this marriage: 
Anna Perley, teaches kindergarten work in the 

Public Schools of Chicago. ' 
Ellen Garfield, took a course in Library work at 
the University of Illinois, anil now fills a 
position in the John Crerer Library of Chicago. 
Albert, graduated in the Scientific department of 
Dartmouth College. He is assistant professor 
of engineering at University of Purdue, 
Lafayette, Indiana. 

2. Henry, di.d 1.S57. 

3. WUliam Hubbard, died 1S45. 

Mary, the third child, was l)i)rn in 17'^^. She 
attended school at the Academy in New Ipswich 
and there met Timothy Kox whom she married in 
1818. -Mr. l-'ox afterward came to Peterborough 



JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 135 

and was in business with his brother-in-law, 
William Smith, for several years. They kept a 
store near Carter's Corner at the top of the hill on 
Pine Street. Both families went West about the 
same time, probably in the early thirties. 

The Foxes settled in Denmark, Iowa, where they 
spent the rest of their lives. Mrs. Fox had fifteen 
children, only three of whom, Mary Caroline, Char- 
lotte, and Harriet Frances, lived to grow up. She 
died February 21, 1867. 

1. Mary Caroline, born 182 2, married David Goche- 

neur. Daughter Susan, married Robert Sutton, 
died MaA' 21, 1871, leaving one son, Carlton 
D., residing at Shenandoah, Iowa. 

2. Charlotte Smith, born Nov. 20, 1826, married, in 

1845, Charles E. Whitemarsh of Denmark. 

Children : 
Timothy Fox, residing at Denmark, married 
Miss A. Hart in 1858. Two children, John 
C. of Denmark, and Ariadna (Mrs. Addis 
Andrews), of New lyondon, Iowa. 

Edward, resides at No. 413 High Street, 
Keokuk, Iowa. Three children, Charlotte, 
Charles, Josephine, all living at home. 

Eva Arianna (Mrs. Houston), resides at 
Clarinda, Iowa, two children, Roy and 
Mabel. 

Mary Frances (Mrs. G. J. Steele), resides at 



136 .,11- -Mtrn \ NO DESCENDANTS. 

Douglas, Nebraska, four children, Jesse, 
Guy, Alta and Delia. 
3. Harriet Frances, born Nov. 17, 1836, married 
James k I';iyer\vealher, December 31, 1S5S, 
resided at Denmark ; neither are living, but one 
daughter, Mrs. II. W. Babcock, resides at 
No. 5518 Minerva Avenue, Chicago. 
William " vSmith the second son and fourth child 
was born in ISOl. He went West in 1S31 in 
company with William and James Smith of St. Louis. 
Fearing that the region of the Mississippi River 
would prove to be malarious he chose to locate his 
home further from the river on the fertile prairies of 
Illinois. 

There were only two white men in the townshij) 
where he established himself and he laid out and 
named the town La Harpe. 

He engaged in a general merchandise business, at 
first in connection with the cousins at St. Louis and 
afterwards independently, supplying all the region 
within a large radius. 

In 1S38 he married Ivlizabeth Stearns, daughter of 
John Stearns, of Jaffrey. ami after a wearysome 
journey of weeks they reached La Harpe where the 
home was started which remaineil unbroken until 
his death in 1873. 

TIk- frontier life was full of hardships, i.rivations 
and sickness ami they did not escape malaria 



JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 137 

although away from the river. But in spite of the 
privations of pioneer life they were never isolated 
in thought from the world, for a constant stream 
of books and papers from New England found its 
way to them. William Smith was alwaj^s more 
interested in the latest book or some theological 
discussion than in the more material interests of 
life. His little library of three or four hundred 
books was a wonder to his neighbors. His char- 
acter and tastes impressed themselves upon his 
townspeople. 

Of their four children, William born Nov. 1, 1839, 
is living at St. Paul, Minn. [For his military service, 
see page 69.] 

2. Jonathan, born Nov. 9, 1848. He married, Sept. 

24, 1873, Miss Lucetta Hull. They reside at 
Tacoma, Washington. One child: 
Mary, born May 10, 1879, married, Oct. 15, 1902, 

Walter F. Boardman, residence, New York 

City. 

3. Albert, born June 28, 1851, married Miss Hannah 

Jo5^ce Alley, Nov. 3, 1880, residence, Webster, 
South Dakota. Three children : 

Gordon Cyril, born Oct. 5, 1881, a graduate of 
Amherst College, is a civil engineer employed 
on the Government Survey in Idaho at 
present. 

Frederick, died in infancy. 

Albert, born March 26, 1888. 

18 



1 ;\ KiNXTHW SMITH WD DESCENDANTS. 

4. Elizabeth, born Au^- 30, 1S54, married Prof. 
John M. Tyler of Amherst College. Children: 
Mason Whiting, born Oct. 28. 1884, graduate of 
Amherst College. 
Elizabeth Stearns, born Jan. 17, 1888, attending 
Smith College. 
Deacon John Smith was the fifth child and third 
son of Jonathan and Nancy Smith. He was chosen 
to succeed his father on the farm and in turn to 
perform that duty to his aged parents which Jonathan 
had so well fulfilled for the previous generation. 

To meet the wishes of his father he surrendered 
his own ambitions, gave uj) all thought of seeking 
his fortune in the West, and in 1833 formally took over 
the management of the farm, where he continued 
until 1873. 

In 1834 he married Susan, daughter of John 
Stearns of Jaffrey. Aunt Susan, as Mrs. Smith was 
largely known to the later generation. Her thrift, 
industry, neatness, and ability in management made 
her an ideal hou.sewife, while her sound judgment, 
her energy and untiring efforts in bL-half of her 
children made her influence in the household 
strongly felt. She had a keen ajjpreciation of the 
best in literature ami il is from their mother that 
her children have learned to love good books. 

John Smith followed in the footste]is of his father. 
He was a highly respected member of his community. 



JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 139 

He was elected Selectman in 1838-39 and 40, and 
sent to the Legislature in 1859-60. He held the 
office of Deacon in the Church as did his father and 
grandfather before him for thirty-four years. 

He died in Chicago at the home of his son, John 
Stearns Smith, in 1881. 

Six of the seven children grew to manhood and 
womanhood. 

1. Mary Frances, the oldest child of John and Susan 
Smith, was born Jan. 7, 1836. Reared in much 
the same spirit as the previous generation, but 
with larger opportunities, she early in life 
showed capabilities and taste for learning. 
She attended Peterboro Academy for several 
seasons, where her talents were recognized. 
She afterward spent one year at school at 
Brattleboro, Vermont, and one year at Miss 
Sherman's Boarding School at Hanover, N. H. 
Her first experience in teaching was in the 
home district school of Peterboro in 1855. In 
1857 she went to Chicago and taught in the 
public schools of that city for fifteen years. 
She was an educated and refined woman of 
fine literary taste, a great reader, gifted with 
her pen. All that she has left us to recall 
her unusual fluency of expression is her letters 
to her friends and relatives. These show a 
style remarkable for its vividness and charm. 



14U JUNATUA.N >.MUa AND DESCENDANTS. 

In ])oor health she ])assed several years in 
the warm climates of southern ICiuope and died 
in Lejihorn. Italy, in 1S,S4. Through the years 
of failing health her patience, fortitude and 
courage were impressive lessons to her friends. 
2. John Stearns, born Nov. 27, IS.w. Kducated in 
the public schools and was a student at Peter- 
borough Academy, and Aj)j)leton Academy, 
New Ipswich. Taught in the district schools 
of the town and in the West, and was Assistant 
in the Academies at Orford, N. H.. and Peter- 
borough. For his military record, see page 69. 
On his retirement from the Sixth Regiment, 
the following letter was given him by his 
brother officers: 

HUADyiAKTKRS, 6th X. II. \'. \'. 

Near Hancock Station. Va., 
March 2nd, 1S65. 
Jno. S. Smith. 

Adjt. 6th X. II. W \'. 
r>i(ir Sir: 

We, brother officers of the 6th Regt., N. II. 
V. v., in view of your prosi)ected departure from our 
midst, by being mustered out of the U. vS. vService, 
take this oi)porlunity of expressing to you the hii^h 
regard we sustain for you. Von have faithfully 
disi harged the duties pertaining to your otfice. 
and on account of your faithfulness and unilorm 
gentlemanly bearing you have endeared yourself 
alike to officers antl men. 

It is with heartfelt regret that we extend to you 
the parting hand. He assured that in all the future of 



JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 141 

your life you will be followed by our kindest wishes 
of success. 

May 3'our future course be as prosperous as 3^our 
military career has been honorable. 
We are yours faithfully, 

Samuel D. Quarles, Major 6th N. H. V.V. 
James H. Hayes, Surgeon 6th N. H. V. V. 
GiEMORE Mcly. HuNSTON, Quartermaster 

6th N. H. V. V. 
J. S. DORE, Chaplain 6th N. H. V. V. 
R. h. Eea, Captain Co. I, 6th N. H. V. V. 
Jno. S. Rowell, Captain Co. A, 6th 

N. H. V. V. 
W. H. Keay, Captain Co. E, 6th N. H.V.V. 
H. J. Griffin, Co. G, 6th N. H. V. V. 
Fred P. Hardy, Capt. Co. K, 6th N. H.V.V. 
Thomas J. Carleton, Captain Co. C, 6th 

N. H. V. V. 
John W. Hanscom, 2nd Lieut. Commanding 
Co. D, 6th N. H. V. V. 

In a letter to the Adjutant General of the 
Army, of the same date, his former Regimental 
Commander, General S. G. Griffin, wrote: 

" I am intimatel}' acquainted with Adjt. Smith 
and can say from mj'^ own personal knowledge 
that he has served constantly and faithfully in 
the field since 1861, has been Adjutant of his 
regiment for almost two j^ears, has been with 
it in every engagement except when absent 
from wounds, and I take great pleasure in 
recommending him as a brave, intelligent, 
patriotic and efficient officer, eminently quali- 
fied for the position he seeks." 

He was mustered out June 19, 1866, by 
reason of services no longer required. 



142 JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCKNDANTS. 

After leaving the armv he settled in Chicajro, 
and in 1869 was appointed Clerk in the Railway 
.Mail Serv-ice, promoted to Head Clerk of the 
line between Chicago and Cedar Rapids, la., in 
1S71, made Asst. Snpt. loth Division, Railway 
Mail Service, in 18S9. and Asst. Div. Supt. 
Class 7. Railway Mail Service, headquarters at 
St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1900, where he still 
resides. Married Evelyn Canavan of Buffalo, 
N. Y., May 3, 1871. One child: Evelyn 
Frances, born April 24, 1872. 
3. Jonathan, born October 21, 1842. His educa- 
tional opportunities as a boy were limited to 
the district school and a few terms in the 
Peterboro Academy. 

April 1st, 1861. he entered the office of the 
Keene, N. H., Saitinel to learn the printers' 

trade. 

He enlisted as a private in Company E, 6th 
New Hampshire Volunteers, November 1, 1861, 
and was mustered out as Sergeant of Company 
Iv, 1st New Hampshire Cavalry, July 15, 1865. 
After leaving the army he fitted for college at 
New Hampton, and graduated from Dartmouth 
in the class of 1871. 

For several years he resided in Lancaster and 
edited the Coos County h\-f^nbliinii a part i)f 
that time. He was admitted to the Hillsborough 



JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 143 

County Bar in 1875 and took up his residence 
in Manchester, N. H., where he was three times 
elected City Solicitor. Mr. Smith removed to 
Clinton, Mass., in 1878, since which time he has 
been actively and successfully engaged in the 
practice of law. 

Aside from his profession he has associated 
himself with the public life of the town, was 
twice elected Town Solicitor, and in 1886 was 
returned to the Massachusetts Legislature. He 
has served as Special Justice of the 2nd District 
Court of Eastern Worcester County for twenty 
j^ears. 

He is President of the Weeks Institute of 
Clinton, an association formed on the lines of 
the Lowell Institute of Boston. 

Mr. Smith's tastes and inclinations have led 
him to be much interested in New England 
history and genealogy ; he is the President and 
one of the founders of the Clinton Historical 
Society. Several publications and many articles 
for New England magazines and numerous 
addresses testify to his researches both his- 
torical and genealogical. We owe the success 
of this reunion to his interest and enthusiasm 
in its organization and to the active part he 
took in carrying it through. 



144 loNATIIAN SMITH AND DKSCKNDANTS. 

For iwcnty years Jonathan Smith has been 
an active member <>l the First (Unitarian) 
Church of Clinton, ami the mantle of Deacon 
has been hande<1 <1«>\\!i t>> liitn fmni liis fore- 
fathers. 

He married, Dec. 13, US70, Miss Tir/ah A. 

R. Dow of Canterbnry, N. IT. She died in 

1881. Children: 

Theodore, born Sept. 25, 1S77, died Oct. 25, 1877. 

Susan Dow, born May 24, 1S79, a graduate of 

Smith College. 

He married, second, Miss Elizabeth C. Stearns 
of Clinton. 

4. Susan Thinney, born October 14. 1844. married, 

June 4, 1873, Eugene Lewis, Esq., a lawyer. 
She resided in Moline, Illinois, where she died 
Sept. 25, 1877. Two children: Ruth and 
Theodore Ore^n ; both died in infancy. 

5. Caroline, born March 3, 1847. She attended 

school at Petcrrboro, and afterwards at Castleton, 
Vermont, and New Hampton. New Hampshire. 
She taught some years in the Public Schools of 
Chicago, but on the death of her mother 
returned to the Peterboro farm to keep house 
for her father. She is now Librarian at the 
Haptist Theological Library at Newton, Mass. 

6. Jeremiah, born July 2. 1S52, resides at Streator, 

Illinois. He has three children: 



JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 145 

Frederick Stearns, in the Railway Mail Service. 

Sarah Frances. 

Bertha. All residing in Streator. 

Nancy, the eighth child, born in 1808. 

She attended school at Groton, Massachusetts, and 
later taught in Dublin, N. H. There in the household 
of Dr. lyconard she met Dr. John H. Foster whom 
she married in 1840 and went west to Chicago. 
There she lived to see the small frontier town grow 
to an immense city. 

Dr. and Mrs. Foster were among the charter 
members of Unity Church, of which Robert Collyer 
was the first pastor. After her husband's death in 
1874 she resided with her daughter, Mrs. Porter, at 
whose home she died in 1902 in the ninetj^-fourth 
year of her age. She became interested in the higher 
education of women. A few years before her death 
she built for the University of Chicago, a woman's 
dormitory called Nancy Foster Hall. She established 
a fund for the prevention of cruelty to animals, and 
other charitable work had her sympathy and support. 
Although her bodily strength was steadily failing for 
many years before her death, her health was good, 
hei mind was clear, her interest in public affairs was 
keen, and her unfailing sweetness of disposition was 
a benediction to all who came within its influence. 
Up to the very last she found pleasure in flowers, in 
trees, in birds and the changing colors of the sky. 

19 



148 JONATHAN SMITH AND DKSCENDANTS. 

Jerciniali, born Sept. 15, 1815, the eleventh child 
of Joiiatlian and Nancy Smith. 

At tht' ajje of eiy;hteen he followed his brother 
William to Illinois and settled in La Harpe. There 
he conducted a general store and traded in pork and 
j^rain. He lived at different limes in Pontoosic, 
Illinois: Keokuk, Iowa; and St. Paul, Minne.sota. 
Later in life he returned to La Harj^e where he lived 
until his death, Oct. 26, 1893. 

He was twice married, first to Mrs. Sarah Oatman, 
of New Hampshire, in 1843. It was after her death 
in 1857 that he returned to La Harpe. There he 
Harried, second. Miss Amanda Sperry, of La Harpe, 
in 1862. He was identified with the business interests 
of La Harpe for many years fillinj.!: positions of trust; 
he was a man of integrity and gentle manners and 
had hosts of friends. Of his five children three are 
living. 

1. Mary Kllen. who married Warren Harper, lives in 

Burlington, Iowa. Children: 
Abraham. 

Flora (Mrs. George Coad). 
Charles. 
Fanny, 
luigene. 

2. Frank lives in Denver, Colo. Passenger con- 

ductor on the Dmver iV Rio (iiaiule K. K. I le 
married .Miss .Mary Jackson of Salido, Colo 



JONATHAN SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 149 

Elizabeth, married James F. Anderson, a farmer 
living- in Blandinsville, 111. Children: 

John E. Anderson of Denver, Colo. 

Louise. 

Frank Smith. 

Morton. 

Maude, married Hez. G. Henry, of Ea Harpe. 
They lived at Camp Point, 111., where Maude 
died, 1896. Children: 

Reva, living at Camp Point. 

James. 



SAMUEL SMITH AND HIS DESCENDANTS. 
Bv Ainu)T Ki)i:s Smith. 

(Most of the (acts uiul nnich o( tin- lauKuatfc herein contained are 
given (1) in the History o( the Town of I'eterborouKh. Hill&boroush 
County. New Hampshire, by .\lbert Smith, M. D., LL. D.. reference to 
which is made by the letter "P" with the page number of that part of the 
iKKjk relatinc to nenealoio'. or by the letters "Ph." with the paKc numbers 
of the first part of the book, and (J) in the History of the Morison or 
Morrison Family, by Leonard A. Morrison, reference to which is made by 
the letter "M" with the page number. Where other authority is relied on. 
the name of the person is stated. By reason of the limited time assigned 
for the reading of this paper, historical sketches arc brief and relate only 
to deceased members of the family. Wherever I have been able to obtain 
the necessary information, historical sketches of those tleceased and the 
genealogy to date have been given. So far as known, there are sixty-one 
descendants of Samuel Smith now living. Having almost no leisure at my 
disposal, it was only upon urgent and continued solicitation that I was 
willing to undertake this work. J 



Samuel Sniitli, horn Nov. 11, 1765; died April 25, 
1842 ; married, Nov. 10, 1793. Sally Garfield of Fitch - 
burjj. Mass., daiij^hter of Klijah and Jane Nichols 
Garfield. She was born Oct. 21, 1771, and she died 
Sept. 1, IS 56. 

Children: (A) Jeremiah, (li) Frederick .\.. (C) 
Maria, (I)) Samuel Garfield, (I-;) .Mberl, ( !• ) William 
Sydney, (G) Alexander Hamilton, (H) I-ili/.abeth 
Morison, (I) Sarah Jane, (J) .Maria, (K) .Mary .Soky, 
(L) Kllen. 

(Kefcreucei., "P ' .'7'); ".M" \47.) 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 151 

Samuel Smith, seventh son of William and Eliza- 
beth (Morison) Smith, was a man of powerful and 
highly cultivated intellect, of strong and honorable 
character, of uncommon equanimity of temperament, 
and of the utmost kindness, forbearance, and benevo- 
lence. His colloquial powers were remarkable, he 
was a ready debater, his conversation was alwa3\s 
instructive, his language singularly accurate and 
appropriate, and, possessing extreme energy and 
activity with quick perception, keen wit, and sound 
judgment, and having, besides his extensive general 
reading, a thorough acquaintance with the topics of 
the day and a wonderful knowledge of mankind, his 
refined manners, his courteous deportment, added to 
a phj'sique of fine proportions and a commanding, yet 
pleasant, mien, he was in all respects a gentleman 
of the old school, of the very highest type. 

In addition to the educational advantages of his 
native town, he studied at the Academies of Exeter 
and of Andover. He was by his character and 
intelligence a public educator, ever exerting over 
the community an elevating and enlightening 
influence. He delighted in politics, devoting much 
time and study to it, was a Federalist of the old 
order, and was chosen to represent his district in 
Congress in 1813-15; but after attending the first 
session and a part of the second, he resigned his 
seat, owing to the press of his priv^ate business. 



1=^-' SAMIF.I. SMITH AND DESCKNDANTS. 

ill ihc iiiumLijjal affairs of his native town he 
always took a deep interest anil was a leading actor 
in the same. He was Moderator for seventeen years, 
beginning in 1794 and ending in 1829. He is justly 
considered the founder of the village ot Peterborough, 
X. II. 

He possessed great business talents, was fair, 
honorable, and upright in all his business trans- 
actions. He always had a high sense of right. In 
1788, at twenty-three years of age, he began busi- 
ness as a trader at "Carter's Corner" in Peterborough. 
In 1794 he built his mill, two hundred feet long and 
two stories high, the wonder and admiration of the 
whole country. In this building he carried on the 
business of manufacturing paper. At the same time, 
in addition to his trading and farming, he had in 
operation a saw -mill, a clothier's shoji. a triphammer 
shop, a wool-carding machine, and an oil mill. 
When the cotton manufacture began, he converted 
his great building into a cotton factory. 

He devoted much time in the latter part of his 
life to collecting files of the .early political pajiers. 

All these valuable papers are now owned by the 
Northern Academy of Science and are safely depos- 
ited in the library of Dartmouth College. 

(A) Jeremiah Smith, born Nov. 2.^, 1794; dieii in 
New V«jrk Citv, Mav K'. 1X60; married. Mav 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 153 

22, 1832, Emeline Van Nortwick, of New York 
City. 

Jeremiah Smith, the first son of Samuel and 
Sally (Garfield) Smith, was fitted for college 
in early life, but his services became so neces- 
sary to his father's business that he could not 
be spared. He retained his literary tastes all 
his life, was an extensive reader, and a fine 
classical scholar. 

In 1825 he removed to New York City and 
was for some years engaged in the commission 
business, in the firms of Nesmith, Smith & Co., 
Wheeler & Fairbanks, and Smith & Wheeler. 
During the latter part of his life, he was the 
chief clerk of the New York & New Haven 
Railroad. Children: 

(1) William Bruce, born. New York City, May 7, 
1834; married Margaret I,. Norton, June 19, 
1872; residence, Baldwin, Queens Co., L. I. 

(2) Cornelia I^uqueer, born, New York City, Oct. 
18, 1835; married, Sept. 16, 1857, to Edward 
J. Kilbourne; residence. New York City. 
Children : 

(a) David Wells, born ; died ; married 

Sarah Shiers; residence. New York City. 

Child: Edward, born ; married ; 

residence. New York Cit}'; has one child. 

(b) William Bruce, born ; died in infancy. 

20 



\'^\ ■. . . ^MITH AND DKSCKNDANTS. 

(c) Cornelia Kdiia, born ; unmarried; resi- 
lience, New York City. 

(d) Alanson Jermaine, born ; married Kli/.a- 

beth Russell; residence, New York City. 

Children: Icannette, born ; Kdward 

Jermaine, born ; (one died in infancy). 

(3) Klizabeth M., born July 5, 1858; married, 
June 17, 1872, Elbert Floyd Jones, South 
Oyster Hay, L. I. 

(4) Jeremiah, born May 30, 1843; died . 

(5) Francis T. L., born Jan. 24, 1845; died Oct. 
9, 1848. 

(6) Frederick Augustus, born Nov. 7, 1847; died 
Jan. 20, 1875. New York City. 

(7) Clarence Beverly, born Dec. 8, 1850; resi- 
dence. New York City; married . Child: 

Florence B., born ; unmarried. 

(References "V 282, 5s2; "M" 172. 17.^; Mrs. Klizabt-tli M. Jones.) 

(B) P'rederick A. Smith, second son of Samuel and 

Sally (Garfield) Smith, was a very skilful 
machinist. 

(Rcrercuccs, "P" 282; "M" 148.; 

(C) Maria Smith, born March 30. 1797; died June 

15. 1798. 

(Kclcrcnce*. "P" 2t»2; "M" 148.) 

(D) Samuel Oarfield Smith, born August 23. 1799; 

died September 9, 1842; married, first wife. 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 155 

Sarah Dorcas Abbot, daughter of Rev. Abiel 
Abbot, D. D., she was born June 22, 1801, died 
June 11, 1831; second wife, Elizabeth Dow, 
daughter of Jeremiah Dow, of Exeter, N. H., 
who survived him and married, second husband. 
Rev. Iv. W. Leonard, D. D., of Dublin, N. H., 
March 25, 1851. He died at Peterborough. 

Samuel Garfield Smith, third son of Samuel 
and Sally (Garfield) Smith, was a manufacturer 
of cotton, in which business he acquired great 
skill, equaling the best manufacturers of his 
day. He was the agent of the Phoenix Cotton 
Factory in Peterborough, of a factory at Warren, 
Maryland, and of a factory at South Berwick, 
Maryland. 

He was a self-made man. By his own and 
almost unaided efforts he made himself a 
mathematician, became a great and general 
reader, and acquired a large fund of knowledge. 

He was a man of rare excellence of character, 
of great purity of life, and the very soul of 
honor and integrity. Children: 
(l) Samuel Abbot (by first wife), born April 18, 

1829; died May 20, 1865; married, June 27, 

1854, Maria Eliza Edes, daughter of Samuel 

and Maria Edes, of Peterborough, N. H. 
Samuel Abbot Smith, the only son of 

Samuel Garfield and Sarah Dorcas (Abbot) 



1 5f' >\Mi 1.1. SMITH AND DKSCENDANTS. 

Smith, was graduated, second in his class, 
at Harvard Collejie in 1.S49. i)repared for the 
ministry at the Divinity School of Harvard 
University, and settled, June 22, 1854, as 
pastor over the First Congregational Parish 
(Unitarian) in Arlington, Massachusetts, 
where he remained till his death. In 1.S66 
a volume, entitled "Christian Lessons and 
a Christian Life," containing an extended 
biography and nuniL-rous extracts from his 
sermons, was published by Prof. P^dward J. 
Young. The following are brief extracts 
from this memoir: "When a ])ure, noble, 
disinterested, antl devout life is closed on 
earth, some record of it, if jiossibK*, ought to 
be i)reserved. The world should know that 
such goodness has been seen in it. . . . He 
was a model pastor. . . . He- was a minister- 
at- large among ihe poor. . . . Ik- was no 
res])ecter of persons. Social position made 
no difference to hni. Among the poor his 
praises are heard from every mouth. He was 
unwearied in his attentions to the aged, the 
sick, and the bereaved. . . . Never sparing 
himself, and with overflowing symjjathy, he 
seemed literally to bear the grief>, and to 
carry the sorrows of his i)eoj)le. . . . He ]i:ni 
the reverence and affection of everv member 




O 

> 

z 
o 

a: 



< 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 157 

of his society. The same strong feeling of 
attachment also existed generally among those 
who did not belong to his congregation. . . . 
Among his professional brethren he was a 
general favorite ; no member of the ministerial 
association to which he belonged being more 
welcomed, as none could be more missed, 
than he. With the other denominations in 
the town he held the most pleasant and 
friendly relations. . . . His humility concealed 
his strength. . . . No one was more firm and 
unyielding in following out his convictions of 
duty. He had great moral courage, joined 
with great practical wisdom and good sense. 
This, together with his purity, his disinteres- 
tedness, and his knowledge of human nature, 
fitted him for that most difficult of all duties 
— that of being a peacemaker and reconciler 
of those who had been at variance. His 
disposition to make the best of everything 
and to look upon the bright side of life, was 
so determined that, when any real misfortune 
came, it was a common remark in the family, 
* I wonder what good Abbot will see in that ? ' 
From all quarters we have heard the same 
testimony : ' He was a pattern man ; the most 
perfect character I ever knew.' During the 
war the government had in him a firm 



1 "^S SAMIKI, SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 

supporter, the soldiers a fast and generous 
friend." . . . He died from sickness con- 
tracted while representing the American 
Unitarian Association, as a missionary among 
the soldiers in the South. Children: 

(a) Abbot Kdes Smith, born Sept. 20, 1855; 
married, Aug. 12, 1S84, at La Crosse, Wis., 
to Alice Mar}' Prouty, daughter of Roswell 
and Laura (Baldwin) Prouty. She was born 
at Newport, \'t. ; residence, Minneapolis, 
Minnesota. 

(b) Maria Ellen Smith, born Feb. 13, 1857; 
residence, Arlington, Massachusetts. 

(c) George Albert Smith, born Oct. 15, 1861; 
married, Feb. 26, 1895. Anna Putnam, 
daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Abbot 
Putnam, who was born July 30, 1872; 
residence, Arlington, Mass. Children: 

Samuel Abbot, born Dec. 9, 1895. 

P:iizabeth Abbot, born Dec. 12, 1897; died 

Feb. 26, 1898. 
Charles Putnam, born March 22, 1899. 
Elizabeth Abbot, born Aug. 21, 1900. 

(d) Samuel Herbert Smith, born April 5, 1864; 
died June 8. 1902; married. Vch. 18, 1892, 
Maiy Helen Horton, at Altleboro, Mass. 

Samuel Herbert Smith, third son of 
Samuel Abbot and .Maria Eli/a (I^des) 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 159 

Smith, cannot receive higher praise than 
is expressed in the statement that his 
disposition and character were like his 
father's. He graduated with honor at 
Harvard CDllege in 1887, studied his pro- 
fession at the law school of Harvard 
University, and became a member of the 
law firm of "Lowell, Smith and Lowell" in 
Boston, Massachusetts. He resided and 
died in Arlington, Massachusetts. As a 
lawyer he was one of the most respected 
and successful of the Suffolk County bar, 
and yet he always found time to advise and 
to help the poor who sought his counsel. 
Many were the receipted bills sent freely to 
those to whom he believed payment would 
be a burden. In his profession he was 
brilliant and energetic as well as sound and 
wise. Socially he brought sunshine and 
life wherever he went. His keen and ready 
wit was always used to entertain, never to 
wound. In his family he was always the 
light of the household, ever cheery, self- 
forgetful, generous and thoughtful of others. 
By his thoughtful consideration of others, 
his ready helpfulness and his strength of 
character, he won the love and respect of all 
who knew him and his death was mourned 



160 SAMIi:i. SMITH .vXD DESCENDANTS. 

as a personal loss by his neighbors and 
acquaintances everywhere, both young and 
old, rich and poor, of every creed and 
opinion. Of him as of his father it is truly 
said, " He went about doing good." Child: 
Agatha, born Jan. 5, 1893. 

(2) Ellen Parker Smith, born July 12, 1837; died 

at Exeter, N. H. 

(3) Sarah Abbot, born July 7, 1839; married 

Nov. 13, 1862, at Exeter, N. H., to John L. 
Dearborn. He was born in Exeter, Dec. 24, 
1835; residence, 411 Marlborough St., Boston, 
Mass. Children : 

(a) Samuel S., born Oct. 15, 1863, in Exeter, N. 

H. Manufacturer of woolen goods. Gradu- 
ated at the Massachusetts Institution of 
Technology; residence, 411 Marlborough 
St., Boston, Mass. 

(b) Elizabeth King, born April 4, 1865, in 
Boston, Mass.; residence, 411 Marlborough 
St. , Boston, Mass. 

(c) William L., born Feb. 1, 1867, in Boston, 

Mass.; married in New Orleans, La., April 
26, 1904 to Ellen Eustis, daughter of 
Cartwright Eustis; graduated at Massachu- 
setts Institution of Technology ; residence. 
New York Cit}^ and is with the Eastwick 
ICngincering Co. 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCEN.DANTS. 161 

(d) John, born March 27, 1868, in Dorchester, 

Mass.; broker; graduated at Massachusetts 
Institution of Technology; residence, 411 
Marlborough St., Hoston, Mass. 

(e) George K. , born Oct. 9, 1872, in St. I.ouis, 

Mo. ; graduate of Massachusetts Institution 
of Technology; residence, 411 Marlborough 
St., Boston, Mass.; with the New England 
Telephone Co. 

(4) Ednah Dow (Smith), born May 12, 1841; 
married, June 4, 1862, at Exeter, N. 
H., to Knight Dexter Cheney; residence. 
South Manchester, Conn. He was a son of 
Charles and Waitstill Dexter Shaw Chenej- ; 
born at Mt. Healthy, Ohio, Oct. 9, 1837; 
occupation, President of Cheney Brothers, 
silk manufacturers. Children: 

(a) Ellen Waitstill, born Oct. 16, 1863, in Hart- 
ford, Conn. ; married, in New York City, 
April 23, 1895, Dr. Alexander Lambert, 
second son of Dr. Edward W. and Martha 
W. Lambert, of New York City; occupation, 
physician; residence, 25 E. 36th Street, New 
York City. 

(b) Elizabeth, born, Sept. 18, 1865, in Hartford, 
Conn. ; married, at South Manchester, 
Conn., Nov. 28, 1890, Alfred Cowles, first 
son of Alfred Cowles, Chicago, 111. ; he 

21 



162 SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 

graduated from Yale in 1886; occupation, 
lawyer; residence, 1805 Michigan Ave., 
Chicago, 111. Children: 
Alfred, born, 1805 Michigan Ave., Chicago, 

Illinois, Sept. 15, 1891. 
Knight Cheney, born, 1805 Michigan Ave., 

Chicago, 111., Dec. 27, 1892. 
John Chene3% born, 1805 Michigan Ave., 

Chicago, 111., April 25, 1894. 
Thomas Hoolser, born, 1805 Michigan Ave., 
Chicago, 111., June 6, 1895. 

(c) Harriet Bowen, born February' 4, 1867, 
Hartford, Conn. ; married at South Man- 
chester, Conn., Feb. 12, 1896, to William 
Hutchinson Cowles, second son of Alfred 
Cowles, Chicago, 111., who was a graduate 
of Yale, in 1887; occupation, newspaper; 
residence, 2602 West Second Ave., Spokane, 
Washington. Children: 

Harriet, born New York City, Dec. 2, 1898. 
William Hutchinson, Jr., born Sands Point, 
L. I., July 23, 1902. 

(d) Helen, born March 7, 1868, Hartford, 
Conn.; married. South Manchester, Conn., 
Oct. 8, 1895, to Hugh Aiken Bayne, son 
of T. L. Bayne, New Orleans, La. ; graduate 
of Yale, 1892 ; occupation, la\v\er; residence, 
544 West 1 14 St. , New York City. Children : 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 163 

Helen, born South Manchester, Conn., Aug. 

2, 1896. 
Elizabeth Cheney, born South Manchester, 

Conn., Oct. 16, 1898. 

(e) Knight Dexter, born June 1, 1870, 
South Manchester, Conn. ; graduate, Yale, 
1892; married, New Causan, Conn., Oct. 13, 
1896, to Ruth, sixth daughter of Dr. E. W. 
and Martha W. Eambert, of New York City ; 
residence, 12 East 31st Street, New York 
City; occupation, silk manufacturing. Child : 
Knight Dexter, born New Causan, Conn., 
July 23, 1899; died New York City, Nov. 
13, 1901. 

(f) Ednah Parker, born February 3, 1873, at 

South Manchester, Conn. 

(g) Theodora, born September 12, 1874, at 
South Manchester, Conn. 

(h) Clifford Dudley, born Jan. 3, 1877, at 
South Manchester, Conn. ; graduate, Yale, 
1898; married, South Manchester, Conn., 
May 25, 1904, to Elizabeth, first daughter of 
John S. and Ellen C. Cheney, of South 
Manchester, Conn. ; occupation, silk manu- 
facturing; residence. South Manchester, 
Conn. 

(i) Philip, born May 8, 1878, South Man- 
chester, Conn.; graduate, Yale, 1901; 



1(>4 SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCKN HANTS. 

occupation, silk manufacturing; residence, 
South Manchester, Conn. 

(j) Thomas Langdon, born at South Man- 
chester, Conn., Nov. 20, 1879; graduate, 
Yale, 1901; occupation, silk manufacturing; 
residence. South Manchester, Conn. 

(k) Russell, born, South Manchester, Conn., 
Oct. 16, 1881; graduate, Yale, 1904. 

(References. "P" 285; "M" 173, 215. 216; Mrs. Ednah Dow [Smith) 
CheneyJ 

(E) Albert Smith. M. D., LL. D., was born June IS. 
1801; died Feb. 22, 1878; married, Feb. 26, 
1828, Fidelia Stearns, daughter of John and 
Chloe Stearns of Jaffrey. X. II., who was born 
Oct. 25, 1799. 

Albert Smith, M. D., hh- D., fourth son of 
Samuel and Sally (Garfield) Smith, super- 
intended the spinning in his father's cotton 
factory for five years, and entered Dartmouth 
College in 1821, where he graduated in 1S_'5. 
For a few years after graduation he assisted in 
his father's business. In 1829 he decided to 
study the medical profession, and attended 
medical lectures at Bowdoin Medical School, 
at the College of Physicians and vSnrgeons, 
New Yt)rk, and at the Dartmouth Medical 
College, where in 183.^ he took his degree M. 1). 
He j)racticed his profession in lAomiiisUr. 
Mass., from 1833 to 1838, ami then unloved 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 165 

to Peterborough, where he continued his prac- 
tice as long as his strength permitted. In 1849 
he was appointed Professor of Materia Medica 
and Therapeutics at the Dartmouth Medical 
College where he lectured annually until his 
resignation in 1870. In 1857 he delivered his 
course of lectures before the Vermont Medical 
College, Castleton, Vermont, and also the same 
course at Bowdoin Medical School in 1859. 
The honorary degree of L,L. D. was conferred 
upon him by Dartmouth College in 187U, also 
an honorary M. D. by the Rush Medical College 
in 1875; and he was elected member of the 
New York Medical Society. He published 
some lectures, besides various articles in the 
medical journals from time to time and in the 
transactions of the New Hampshire Medical 
Society. For five years, from 1871 to 1876, he 
gave almost constant attention to the work of 
preparing a History of Peterborough. It is a 
very excellent history and was published in the 
centennial year, 1876. 

He was most generous in the practice of his 
profession among the poor, and children would 
show their appreciation of his gentle and lovable 
thought by gathering around him to receive his 
kindly greeting. He was of a deeply religious 
nature and his church, the Unitarian, seldom 



166 SAMl'EL SMITH AND DESCKNDANTS. 

was without his presence at its Sunday services, 
even when hi^ professional duties jirevented 
him from ;irrivinj^ until near the close of the 
sermon. The ])urity and nobility of his char- 
acter, those who knew him can never forget. 
Children : 

(1) Frederiik Augustus, born June 18, 1830; died, 

Dec. 20, 1856; married Frances Gregg of 
Belleville, N. J., June 18, 1856. The only 
son of Dr. Albert and Fidelia (Stearns) Smith, 
was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1852, 
He attended medical lectures at the College of 
Physicians and Surgeons of New York, and 
also at the Dartmouth Medical College, where 
he took the degree M. D. Having spent one 
year as an assistant at the hospitals on Black - 
well's Island, he began the practice of his 
profession at Leominster, Massachusetts, in 
August, 1S56, where he died suddenl>- a few 
months later. He was a highly cultivated, 
refined, and promising young man, and bade 
fair to make his mark in the world. 

(2) Susan S., born Feb. 4, \SM; died, April 20. 

1836, Leominster, Mass. 

(3) Catherine, born December 5. 1S.>7; died 
Dec. 26, \H95; residence, Newaik, C). : mar- 
ried, Dec. 6. 1869, to Moses I'ayson Smith. 
The second daughter of Dr. .\lberl and 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 167 

Fidelia (Stearns) Smith, was a well educated 
woman with literary tastes. She was an 
earnest worker in the Unitarian Church at 
Peterborough until upon her marriage she 
removed from the town. She was a devoted 
wife and mother and her beautiful character 
won her the respect of all. Children: 

(a) Anna Perley, born Sept. 19, 1871 at Marion, 

Ind. ; residence, 1843 Aldine Avenue, Chi- 
cago, 111. 

(b) Albert, born March 3, 1873, at Tuscola, 111. ; 
residence, 1843 Aldine Avenue, Chicago, 
111. Graduated from Dartmouth College in 
1898. Assistant Professor of Civil Engi- 
neering at Perdue University, Lafayette, 
Indiana. 

(c) Edith Payson, born at Newark, Ohio, March 
16, 1876; died August 4, 1876. 

(d) Ellen Garfield, born Oct. 24, 1879; residence, 
1843 Aldine Avenue, Chicago, 111. 

"P" 283,286, 287; "P. h." 126, 128, 136. 137, 314; "M' 148, 173, 174 
Anna Perley Smith. 

(F) William Sydney Smith, born Dec. 14, 1802 
died at Peterborough, Sept. 26, 1875; married 
first wife, Nov. 18, 1834, Margaret Stearns 
daughter of John Stearns, of Jaiirey, N. H. 
she was born March 18, 1805; she died in 
Belleville, Canada, West, March 20, 1851 



loS bA.Ml 1.1. SMITH AND nKSCKNDANTS. 

second wife, in Peterborongh, Mrs. Mary 
(Gray) Miller, daughter of Malthew Gray, of 
Peterborough. 

William Sydney Smith, fifth son of Samuel 
and Sally (Garfield) vSmith, learned the trade of 
paper-making in Peterl)orough, and "afterwards 
carried on the business there. In ISJ9 he 
removed to Helleville. Canada, West, where he 
was a paper manufacturer until 1852 or 1853, 
when he returned to Peterborough, residing 
there until his death. He was clean-handed 
and above leproach, and was universally 
respected for his honorable and upright char- 
acter. Children, all ])orn in Canada, by first 
wife: 
(1) William Ainsworth, born in Belleville, Canada, 
West, Feb. 9, 1836; died in Nebraska, Feb. 
24, 1870; married, Oct. 9, 1865, Augusta 
Frances Ames, daughter of Joseph H. and 
Mary Melvin Ames. He was the first son of 
William Sydney and Margaret (Stearns) 
Smith, served as Knsign of the United States 
navy in the Ci^-il War. He was a man of 
very high character. [See page 73. ] Children : 

(a) Margaret Klh-n, born Oct. 3, 1866. 

(b) Rev. Frederick W.. born Feb. 23. 1S69; 

residence, Duxbury, Mass., where he is 
pastor of Unitarian Parish. 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 169 

(2) Samuel Garfield, born in Belleville, Canada. 

West, April 20, 1838/ married Dora Bascom, 
of Jaffrey, N. H., in 1862; occupation, 
jeweller, in Boston, Mass.; residence, Brook- 
line, Mass. Children : 

(a) Kate, born ; married Charles Waterhouse ; 

residence, Brookline, Mass. Children: 
Irma, born . 

(b) Dexter, residence, Brookline, Mass. 

(3) Josiah Phinney, born in Belleville, Canada 

West, Oct. 20, 1840; died July 14, 1863. 
Third son of William Sydney and Margaret 
(Stearns) Smith, served in the United States 
army in the Civil War. He volunteered as 
one of a forlorn hope to lead the charge of a 
storming part}' against the Confederate forti- 
fications at Port Hudson, La., in which 
charge he was shot through the head and 
instantly killed. [See page 74.] 

(4) Sydney Stearns, born at Belleville, Canada 
West, Feb. 8, 1843; died at Alton, 111., July 
9, 1871. [See page 75.] 

(5) Elizabeth Ellen, born May 19, 1845, at Belle- 
ville, Canada West; died ; married, at 

La Harpe, 111., Dec. 17, 1867, Samuel J. 
Reeder. He was born Jan. 25, 1836, at 

Greenfield, Washington Co. , Penn. ; died . 

Residence. Topeka, Kansas; removed to 
Indianola, Kansas. Children: 

22 



17" SAMrm, SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 

(a) Kiith, liiirn SlJ)!. _'5, 1868. 

(b) He^^sie Smith, horn Oct. 9. 1S71. 

(c) Frederick Augii.stine, born Jan. 19, 1873; 
died Aug. 6, 1873. 

( Rf fcrenccs. "P" 283. 287: "M" 148. 174. 216; Jonathan Smith.) 

(G) Alexander Hamilton Smith, born Auj;. 5, 1804; 
died at St. Loiii.s, Mo., Now, 1S5S; married, 
1831, Soplironia Bailey, (jf Charlestown, Mass. 
She died at Cincinnati, O., July 15, 1848. 

He was the sixth son of Samuel and Sally 
(Garfield) Smith, and was considered a man 
of jijreat intellectual ability. Children : 

(1) Sally Garfield, born Jan. 1, 1833; died . 

(2) Jonathan, born Jan. J, 1S35; lives in St. 

Louis, Mo. 

(3) A. Hamilton, born 1837; died Oct., 1840. 

(4) Jesse, born March 10, 1839; died . 

(5) IC'.iza Bailey, born Jan. 18, 1841 ; li\cs in 
Cincinnati, O. 

(References. "P" .'83; "M" 148. 174.) 

(H) IClizabeth Morison Smith, born Aujj. 8, 1806; 
died Sept. 13. 1848; married, Sept. 8, 1830, to 
Rev. Levi \V. Leonard, I). D.,of I)ul)lin, X. II. 
He was born June 1, 1790, at Briilj^ewater, 
Mass. ; he married, second wife, Mrs. Ivli/.abeth 
I). Smith, widow of Samuel G.. I^xi-ter, X. 11 , 
March 25, 1851; he died Dec. 12, 1864, at 
ICxeler, X. H. Children: 



SAMUEI. SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 171 

(1) William Smith, born in Dublin, N. H., Oct. 

13, 1832; died in Hinsdale, N. H., June 14, 
1902; married, April 30, 1861, Martha E. 
Greenwood, daughter of Jackson and Elmira 
(Gowing) Greenwood, of Dublin, N. H. She 
was born in Dublin, N. H., Aug. 19, 1832; 
died in Hinsdale, N. H., Feb. 22, 1903. He 
resided at Hinsdale, N. H., where he prac* 
ticed his profession. He was widely known 
as an able and skilful physician. Children: 

(a) Annie E., born Feb. 25, 1862; died Aug. 27, 

1862. 

(b) Walter G., born Aug. 3, 1863; died July 18, 

1865. 

(c) Frederick Smith, born May 21, 1865; married. 

(d) Margaret Elizabeth, born Feb. 18, 1867; 

married. 

(e) William Jackson, born Feb. 23, 1869. 

(f) Cora E.,born Dec. 15, 1871; died March 17, 

1872. 

(g) Dolly E., born July 21, 1874; died April 9, 

1877. 

(2) Ellen E., born ; married J. H. Houghton, 

who was a Captain in the Civil War, and 
afterwards Auditor of the Western Division 
of the Northern Pacific Railwa5^ He died 

at Tacoma, . Her residence, Tacoma, 

Washington. 

(References. "P" 283; "M" 148, 174, 175; Fred'k S. Leonard, Hinsdale. 
N. H.; Capt. J. Stearns Smith J 



i._ iiA.MLi:!. SMITH AND nESCKNDANTS. 

•I) Sarah Jane Smilh, born Sept. K>, 1S08; died '; 

married, 1S43, Abraham W. I'.lanchard, of 

Boston, Ma^^ lie- died . She received a 

good education and was a woman of intellij^ence 
and hijjh character. For a ^rcat many years 
prior to her death, she and her ditu^hter resided 
together in lioston. ChiKl; Catherine Kllen, 
born . 

(Reference. "P" 283.) 

'J) Maria Smith, born Aug. 30, ISlO; died May 19, 
1812. 

(References, "P" 283: "M" 148.) 

(K) Mary vSoley Smith, born Sept. 11, 1812; died 
Aug. 14, 1822. 

(References. "P" 283; '"M" 148.) 

^V Ellen Smith, born Jan. 23, 1815; died April 9, 
1902; married William H. Smith, vSept. 13. 
1843. He died Oct. 2, 1894, She was his 
second wife. He was born Dec. 26, 1808. 

ICUen (Smith) Smith, si.xth daugliter of 
Samuel and Sally (Garfield) Smith, was married 
at l)ul)lin, X. H., I think, and thence, on their 
way to the raw home, slie anil her husband 
drove in a carriage to liuffalo, X. V., enter- 
taining themselves at their stops by reading 
together one of the W'averly novels. At Hnffalo 
they took one of tlie lake boats to Chicago. 
From Chicago they drove in a carriage to St. 
Louis. On Sl-|)1. 13, 1893. their golden wedding 
was. unexpecleilly to thein, celebrated by a 



SAMUEL SMITH AND DESCENDANTS. 173 

quiet gathering of near relatives at the Pahner 
House, by the sea, in Hampton, N. H. 

A more perfect character than Mrs. Smith's 
would be hard to find. She was truly one 
of the saints of the earth. Gentle, yet strong, 
noble in her patience and forbearance and 
forgiveness for all, tenderl}^ loving the true, 

the beautiful, and the good, and seeking to 
share them with everyone, she will never be 
forgotten by those who have loved and rever- 
enced her. She and her husband, William H. 
Smith, both seemed made for each other and 
for the world. Self-forgetful and benevolent, 
unfaltering in their obedience to conscience, 
intellectual and strong, they j^et reminded us 
all of the psalmist's words, "Thy gentleness 
hath made me great." Children: 

(1) William Eliot, born Dec. 31, 1844; married 

Alice Cole of Alton, 111., 1873; residence, 
Alton, 111.; occupation, manufacturer of green 
glassware. Children: 

(a) Eunice C, born March 23, 1875; graduated 

at Wellesley College. 

(b) Ellen, born May 15, 1876; graduated at 

Wellesley College. 

(2) Henry Ware, born Feb- 3, 1850; died June 

23, 1851. 

(3) Margaret, born ; died . 

C4) Jane, born ; died . 

[vSee page 102.] 

(References. "P" 283; ' M" 148. 168, 248.) 



PRESENT AT THE REUNION. 

Dksckndants ok Rohkrt ^Son or William) Smith 
Glenn W'riy^ht, New York Cily. 

Dksckndants or James Smith. 

Mrs. Frances Rice Stilhnan, Albany, New York. 
William Smith. Sprin.^fieUl, Vermont. 
Mrs. Flora A. (Brown) Smith, Springfield, \'ermont _ 

Descendants of Jeremiah Smith. 
Jeremiah Smith, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 
Mrs. Hannah (Webster) Smith, Cambiidj4:e, Mass. 
Miss Klizabeth Hale Smith, Cambridge, Mass. 

Di:SCENDANTS OF IIaNNAH (SmITHI HAkKliK. 

Andrew Jewett, Fitchburg, Massachusetts. 
Mrs. Rachel A. Diili. Jewett, Fitchbnrg, Mass. 
Miss Adeline h\ JeWL-tt, I-'ilchburg, Massachusetts. 
Miss Nancy H. Jewett, Fitchburg, M;issachusetts. 
Mis^ Harriet J. (Harker* Saxton, Xlw York Cily. 
Miss Lilly May liarker, .Xtlleboro. Massachusetts. 
William II. Jewett, Ivast Rindge, New IIamj)shire. 
Mrs. William H. Jewett, Fast Rindge. N. II. 
Kenneth DuH. Jewell, I'ilchburg, Massacluisetts. 



present at the reunion. 175 

Descendants of Jonathan Smith. 

Mrs. Clara (Foster) Bass, Peterborough. N. H. 
Mrs. Adele (Foster^ Adams, Peterborough, N. H. 
Mr. George E. Adams, Peterborough, N. H. 
Miss Isabel F. Adams, Peterborough, N. H. 
Miss Margaret Adams, Peterborough, N. H. 
John S. Smith, Saint Paul, Minnesota. 
Mrs. Evelyn (Canavan) Smith, St. Paul, Minn. 
Evelyn Frances Smith, Saint Paul, Minnesota. 
Jonathan Smith, Clinton, Massachusetts. 
Mrs. Elizabeth (Stearns-* Smith, Clinton, Mass. 
Miss Susan Dow Smith, Clinton, Massachusetts. 
Miss Caroline Smith, Newton Centre, Mass. 

Descendants of Samuel Smith. 
Samuel Garfield Smith, Brookline, Massachusetts. 
Mrs. Dora (Bascom) Smith, Brookline, Mass. 
Mrs. Kate (Smith) Waterhouse, Brookline, Mass. 
Miss Irraa Waterhouse, Brookline, Massachusetts. 
Mrs. Maria (Edes) Smith, Arlington, Mass. 
Miss Maria Ellen Smith, Arlington, Massachusetts. 
George A. Smith, Arlington, Massachusetts. 
Mrs. Anna (Putnam) Smith, Arlington, Mass. 
Mrs., Augusta F. (Ames) Smith, Duxbury, Mass. 
Miss Margaret Ellen Smith, Northampton, Mass. 
Rev. Frederick W. Smith, Duxbury, Mass. 
Mrs. Cornelia L- (Smith) Kilbourne, New York City. 
Miss Cornelia Edna Kilbourne, New York City. 



176 PRESENT AT THIv REUNION. 

Mrs. Hli/;n.rth M "SniitlO Kloyd -Jones, New York 

City. 
Clarence Beverly Smith, New York City. 
Miss Kate K. Hlatichard, Boston, Massachusetts. 
Miss ICllen Garfield Smith, Chicaj^o, Illinois. 
Miss Edna Parker Cheney, South Manchester, Conn. 
Samuel Stei)hen Dearborn, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Descendants of Makv Smith (d.wghthr ok 
First Robert Smith) Morison. 

Miss Mary Morison, Peterborough, New Hampsliire. 

Guests. 
Rev. Frederick W. Greene, Middletown, Conn. 
Mrs. Frederick W. Cireene, Middletown, Conn. 
Mrs. Pierson, Orange, New Jersey. 
Miss Margaret Pierson, Orange, New Jersey. 
Miss Louise Pierson, Orange, New Jersey. 
Mrs. Kendall, Lowell, Massachusetts. 
Mrs. Emma (Read) Pearson, Boston, Massachuseiis. 
Mrs. NL Agnes Wheeler, Peterborough, N. II. 
Carlton A. Wheeler, Peterborough. N. H. 



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